Kieran O’Mahony, OSA Advent 2019, Sunday 3A
Preparing for the coming one Kieran O’Mahony, OSA Advent 2019, Sunday 3A
Welcome ✤ The Readings of Advent 2019 ✤ Advent 3A19 ✤ Detailed commentary ✤ Engagement with the readings
The Readings of Advent A16
The Readings of Advent A16 Advent 1 Is 2:1-5 Ps 122 Rom 13:11-14 Mt 24:37-44 Wake up!
The Readings of Advent A16 Advent 1 Is 2:1-5 Ps 122 Rom 13:11-14 Mt 24:37-44 Wake up! Advent 2 Is 11:1-10 Ps 72 Rom 15:4-9 Mat 3:1-12 Convert!
The Readings of Advent A16 Advent 1 Is 2:1-5 Ps 122 Rom 13:11-14 Mt 24:37-44 Wake up! Advent 2 Is 11:1-10 Ps 72 Rom 15:4-9 Mat 3:1-12 Convert! Advent 3 Is 35:1-6, 10 Ps 144 James 5:7-10 Mt 11:2-11 Be patient!
The Readings of Advent A16 Advent 1 Is 2:1-5 Ps 122 Rom 13:11-14 Mt 24:37-44 Wake up! Advent 2 Is 11:1-10 Ps 72 Rom 15:4-9 Mat 3:1-12 Convert! Advent 3 Is 35:1-6, 10 Ps 144 James 5:7-10 Mt 11:2-11 Be patient! Advent 4 Is 7:10-14 Ps 24 Rom 1:1-7 Mt 1:18-24 God-with-us
Gospels of Advent ✤ The Coming of the Son of Man (Matthew 24:37-44) ✤ Person and preaching of John the Baptist (Matthew 3:1-12) ✤ Who was John the Baptist? (Matthew 11:2-11) ✤ Annunciation to Joseph in a dream (Matthew 1:18-24)
Advent 3A: Isaiah 35:1-6, 10 Let the wilderness and the dry-lands exult, Then the eyes of the blind shall be opened, let the wasteland rejoice and bloom, the ears of the deaf unsealed, let it bring forth flowers like the jonquil, then the lame shall leap like a deer let it rejoice and sing for joy. and the tongues of the dumb sing for joy The glory of Lebanon is bestowed on it, for those the Lord has ransomed shall return. the splendour of Carmel and Sharon; They will come to Zion shouting for joy, they shall see the glory of the Lord, everlasting joy on their faces; the splendour of our God. joy and gladness will go with them Strengthen all weary hands, and sorrow and lament be ended. steady all trembling knees and say to all faint hearts, ‘Courage! Do not be afraid. ‘Look, your God is coming, vengeance is coming, the retribution of God; he is coming to save you.’
Advent 3A: Psalm 1456 (145) Come, Lord, and save us. It is the Lord who gives sight to the blind, who raises up those who are bowed down, It is the Lord who keeps faith for ever, the Lord, who protects the stranger who is just to those who are oppressed. and upholds the widow and orphan. It is he who gives bread to the hungry, the Lord, who sets prisoners free, It is the Lord who loves the just but thwarts the path of the wicked. The Lord will reign for ever, Zion’s God, from age to age.
Advent 3A: James 5:7-10 Be patient, brothers, until the complaints against one Lord’s coming. Think of a another, brothers, so as not farmer: how patiently he to be brought to judgement waits for the precious fruit of yourselves; the Judge is the ground until it has had already to be seen waiting at the autumn rains and the the gates. For your example, spring rains! You too have to brothers, in submitting with be patient; do not lose heart, patience, take the prophets because the Lord’s coming who spoke in the name of will be soon. Do not make the Lord.
Advent 3A: Matthew 11:2-11 John in his prison had heard what Christ was doing ‘Look, I am going to send my messenger before you; and he sent his disciples to ask him, ‘Are you the he will prepare your way before you. one who is to come, or have we got to wait for someone else?’ Jesus answered, ‘Go back and tell ‘I tell you solemnly, of all the children born of John what you hear and see; the blind see again, women, a greater than John the Baptist has never and the lame walk, lepers are cleansed, and the deaf been seen; yet the least in the kingdom of heaven is hear, and the dead are raised to life and the Good greater than he is.’ News is proclaimed to the poor; and happy is the man who does not lose faith in me.’ As the messengers were leaving, Jesus began to talk to the people about John: ‘What did you go out into the wilderness to see? A reed swaying in the breeze? No? Then what did you go out to see? A man wearing fine clothes? Oh no, those who wear fine clothes are to be found in palaces. Then what did you go out for? To see a prophet? Yes, I tell you, and much more than a prophet: he is the one of whom scripture says:
At first glance… ✤ Clear link between Isaiah and Matthew ✤ What’s the bother about John the Baptist? ✤ Where does James fit it?
Advent 3A: Isaiah 35:1-6, 10 Isa 35:1 The wilderness and the dry land shall be glad, with terrible recompense. the desert shall rejoice and blossom; He will come and save you.” like the crocus 2 it shall blossom abundantly, Isa 35:5 Then the eyes of the blind shall be opened, and rejoice with joy and singing. and the ears of the deaf unstopped; The glory of Lebanon shall be given to it, 6a then the lame shall leap like a deer, the majesty of Carmel and Sharon. and the tongue of the speechless sing for joy. They shall see the glory of the LORD, the majesty of our God. Isa 35:10 And the ransomed of the LORD shall return, Isa 35:3 Strengthen the weak hands, and come to Zion with singing; and make firm the feeble knees. everlasting joy shall be upon their heads; 4 Say to those who are of a fearful heart, they shall obtain joy and gladness, “Be strong, do not fear! and sorrow and sighing shall flee away. Here is your God. He will come with vengeance,
Advent 3A: Isaiah 35:1-6, 10 Our reading comes from First Isaiah, i.e. chapters 1-39 1-12: Condemnation and salvation; Davidic king; Assyria as God’s instrument. 13-23: Oracles concerning foreign nations. 24-27: Judgment on the whole world. 28-33: Judah confronts Assyria and Egypt. 34-35: Salvation comes to Judah. 36-39: Historical notes on Isaiah, Hezekiah and Jerusalem.
Advent 3A: Isaiah 35:1-6, 10 ✤ Generally, scholars would hold that both ch. 34 and ch. 35 reflect the later experience of the great Exile in Babylon and to be located in Second Isaiah. ✤ V. 6a makes the parallel with the Gospel stand out. Then we move forward to the marvellous vision of v. 10.
Advent 3A: Isaiah 35:1-6, 10 ✤ Some of the very best biblical poetry is to be found in Job and in second Isaiah, including this chapter here. The lines are more or less all in parallel, showing that “uneasy synonymity” which gives biblical poetry its peculiar energy. ✤ At a literary level, we make note that striking combination of metaphors from nature, forensic vocabulary and “body language”: nature (wilderness, dry land, desert, crocus, blossom, Lebanon, Carmel, Sharon); forensic (vengeance, recompense, save); body (hands, knees, heart, eyes, ears, lame, tongue).
Advent 3A: Psalm 146 (145) Ps 146:5 Happy are those whose help The L ORD lifts up those who are is the God of Jacob, bowed down; the L ORD loves the whose hope is in the L ORD their God, righteous. 6 who made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that is in them; 9 The L ORD watches over the who keeps faith forever; strangers; he upholds the orphan and 7 who executes justice for the the widow, but the way of the wicked oppressed; he brings to ruin. who gives food to the hungry. Ps 146:10 The L ORD will reign forever, your God, O Zion, for all generations. The L ORD sets the prisoners free; 8 the L ORD opens the eyes of the Praise the L ORD ! blind.
Advent 3A: James 5:7-10 Jas 5:7 Be patient, therefore, standing at the doors! 10 As an beloved, until the coming of the example of suffering and Lord. The farmer waits for the patience, beloved, take the precious crop from the earth, prophets who spoke in the name being patient with it until it of the Lord. 11 Indeed we call receives the early and the late blessed those who showed rains. 8 You also must be patient. endurance. You have heard of the Strengthen your hearts, for the endurance of Job, and you have coming of the Lord is near. 9 seen the purpose of the Lord, Beloved, do not grumble against how the Lord is compassionate one another, so that you may not and merciful. be judged. See, the Judge is
Advent 3A: James 5:7-10 ✤ The community for which this letter is written is unclear. The writer addresses himself to the twelve tribes in the Dispersion (James 1:1). This could mean Jews outside Palestine or, if the writer is thinking of the “true Israel”, Christians anywhere. ✤ As for the writer, there are five James in the New Testament. Only two a potential candidates for author: James, son of Zebedee and brother of John or James the brother of the Lord. The former was killed in 44 ad by Agrippa I. The latter, according to Josephus was stoned in 62 or 69 ad. ✤ There are difficulties identifying either of these with the author: the excellent Greek, the use of rhetoric, the absence of reference to Jesus (named only twice in Jas 1:1; 2:1) and finally the address to the diaspora.
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