[00:00:05] Hello! My name is Sally Moriarty-Flask; welcome to From His Word to Our Hearts, my weekly Bible Study podcast. Together we will explore the readings to be proclaimed at the Catholic Mass on Sunday, December 1, 2024, the first weekend of the new Liturgical Year - the First Sunday of Advent.
[00:00:26] This week's episode is entitled: The End Is Inevitable, and in these readings, we’ll consider how best we can prepare our hearts and minds for the birth of the Savior.
[00:00:40] As we journey through the readings this week, consider the following: if we spent a little less time preparing for the Christmas holiday and a little more time on preparing to receive the Child Jesus, might our Christmas be filled with less stress and more joy?
[00:01:00] Let's begin in prayer: In the name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen.
[00:01:05] Heavenly Father, we praise you and we thank you for the many gifts you shower upon us, especially at this time of year. Help us to quiet our hearts amidst all the busyness with which we surround ourselves, so that we can worthily prepare ourselves for the coming of your Son. We ask this through him whose coming is certain, whose day draws near, our Lord Jesus Christ. Amen.
In the name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen.
[00:01:34] Now that we've opened our hearts in prayer, let's listen to what God is telling us in the Scriptures for this first weekend in Advent.
[00:01:42] Our Gospel this week is From Luke 21: 25-28, 34-36.
[00:01:51] [Jesus said to his disciples:] “There will be signs in sun and moon and stars, and upon the earth distress of nations in perplexity at the roaring of the seas and the waves, men fainting with fear and with foreboding of what is coming on the world; for the powers of the heavens will be shaken. And then they will see the Son of man coming in a cloud with power and great glory. Now, when these things begin to take place, look up and raise your heads, because your redemption is drawing near. But take heed to yourselves lest your hearts be weighed down with dissipation and drunkenness and cares of this life, and that day come upon you suddenly like a snare; for it will come upon all who dwell upon the face of the whole earth. But watch at all times, praying that you may have strength to escape all these things that will take place and to stand before the Son of man.”
[00:02:59] Welcome to the new Liturgical Year, which begins, as I said, with this First Sunday of Advent and ushers us into Cycle C of Scripture, meaning that most of our Gospels this year will be from Saint Luke. Saint Luke, you may recall, authored two books that are found in the New Testament: The Gospel attributed to his name and the Acts of the Apostles. Luke was a native of the city of Antioch, by all accounts a well-educated man, a native Greek speaker, a physician (or healer), a companion of Saint Paul, and the only Gentile to compose one of the Gospels. We know that he spent a significant amount of time researching the events in the life of Jesus before he began writing, because he tells us that in the prologue of his Gospel. According to tradition, Luke spent time with Mary, the mother of Jesus, which is why so much is reported from her point of view in Luke's writing. We also know that his Gospel was written about 85 AD, making it the latest of the Synoptic Gospels, not of all the Gospels, but of the Synoptic Gospels. Saint Luke is the patron saint of artists, brewers, butchers, notaries, and physicians… interesting combination of people there. On this First Sunday of Advent, the readings always focus on the Second Coming of Jesus at the end of time, what theologians call the Parousia - which is why we find ourselves in a very dark section of Luke's Gospel.
[00:04:41] Jesus had just foretold the destruction of the Temple and of the city of Jerusalem in the verses preceding today's passage. And as we enter into the narrative, the scene shifts from Jerusalem to the entire world as Jesus predicts his own return at the end of time. So again, on that lighthearted note, let's jump into this week's Gospel.
[00:05:06] “[Jesus said to his disciples:] ‘There will be signs in sun and moon and stars,’
[00:05:13] Jesus is describing the cosmic upheaval that will herald the end of all things with language that echoes Isaiah, Joel, Zephaniah, Daniel - those Old Testament prophets - and his listeners would have recognized that.
[00:05:32] “and upon the earth distress of nations in perplexity at the roaring of the sea and the waves,”
[00:05:39] In other words, these signs will be so fearsome that no one will be left untroubled.
[00:05:47] “men fainting with fear and with foreboding of what is coming on the world;”
[00:05:52] The Greek word Luke uses here can mean faint or die… the RSV here translates it as fainting; the NAB translates it as die, dying.
[00:06:05] “for the powers of the heavens will be shaken.”
Again, pointing to that cosmic upheaval.
“And then they will see the Son of man coming”
Remember, Son of man is the term Jesus uses to refer to himself. But it is also used to signify divinity, as in the Book of Daniel.
“in a cloud with power and great glory.”
Clouds are sometimes seen as vehicles for angels and, as such, are able to conceal the presence of the divine… whereas power and glory directly signify divine presence and might. So, concealing and revealing.
[00:06:49] “Now when these things begin to take place, look up and raise your heads, because your redemption is drawing near.”
[00:06:57] What Jesus is really saying here is - don't be afraid! Stand tall, stand upright in faith, stand proudly with your head held high… and why? Because of that beautiful promise of hope - that YOUR REDEMPTION IS DRAWING NEAR!
“But take heed to yourselves”
Yes, Jesus says stand tall - BUT TAKE HEED - stand with apocalyptic vigilance, with an awareness that this is the end of everything, because - as Matthew 24 tells us – “no one knows the day or the hour.”
[00:07:37] “lest your hearts be weighed down”
[00:07:40] Another way to translate WEIGHED DOWN could be being drowsy or inattentive… the NAB translates it as drowsy. So, lest your hearts be drowsy, lest your hearts be weighed down… with what?
“with dissipation and drunkenness and cares of this life, and that day come upon you suddenly like a snare;”
What is a snare, but a trap! But what Jesus is really saying here is be aware. Be vigilant in faith, with an eye to the end of everything, with an eye to the end of time.
“for it will come upon all who dwell upon the face of the whole earth.”
Jesus is not making a threat - he is stating a fact… this WILL all happen. This will come upon all (everyone) indicating past/present/future. This will come upon everyone, everything across all time and space, right? This will happen! Remember the title of the episode: The End Is Inevitable.
“But watch at all times, praying that you may have the strength to escape all these things that will take place, and to stand before the Son of man.”
The coming of the Son of Man will be sudden, and no one knows the day or the hour.
[00:09:08] If you remember back just a couple of weeks ago, we heard a very similar message as the Church brought the Liturgical Year to a close. And these warnings about the eschaton (the end times) are never intended to evoke fear or anxiety. They are intended to help us… by reminding us that tomorrow is promised to no one! And that is really at the heart of the season of Advent, particularly this First Sunday.
[00:09:41] The holiday season - or what is perceived as the holiday season here in the United States - runs counter to the whole idea of Advent. Speaking of which, how did we manage to go straight from Halloween to Christmas this year? Somehow, we skipped right over Thanksgiving. How is that even possible? Neither here nor there! But truthfully, maybe we need the season of Advent more than ever this year.
[00:10:13] Advent invites us into the quiet of December, into a time of preparation, into the cold and darkness… the darkness of the season, the darkness of our world, the darkness of our hearts, the darkness that accompanies the painful realities of our lives… so that we can change, make adjustments, prepare ourselves to stand ready and accept God's mercy and love… to be transformed by it… to become the people of love he created us to be… people standing tall as disciples of Jesus - patiently awaiting the return of our Savior and ready to receive his gift of redemption.
[00:11:16] That takes us to our First Reading which is from the Book of Jeremiah 33: 14-16.
[00:11:26] “Behold, the days are coming, says the Lord, when I will fulfil the promise I made to the house of Israel and the house of Judah. In those days and at that time I will cause a righteous Branch to spring forth for David; and he shall execute justice and righteousness in the land. In those days Judah will be saved and Jerusalem will dwell securely. And this is the name by which it will be called: ‘The Lord is our righteousness.’”
[00:12:01] We've encountered the prophet Jeremiah a few times already. If you'll recall, he is sometimes referred to as the prophet of doom, the weeping prophet, or the reluctant prophet. Jeremiah is, of course, one of the four major prophets (along with Isaiah, Ezekiel, and Daniel) and he preached repentance and faithfulness to the Covenant - a message which largely fell on deaf ears. Today's passage, however, comes from a section of Jeremiah called the Oracles of Restoration of Israel and Judah, and it is filled with hope and promise.
[00:12:41] Specifically, Jeremiah is speaking here about the restoration of Jerusalem, paying particular attention to the royal and priestly leaders of the city. This passage from chapter 33 is, interestingly enough, almost an exact replica of chap 23: 5-6, which is part of another oracle - the Oracles of the Last Days of Jerusalem. Today's passage is actually not even included in the Septuagint (which is the Greek version of the Hebrew Bible) and many scholars believe that's because it IS largely a repetition of the verses found in chapter 23. We, as Christians reading this through the lens of the New Testament, see these verses as filled with Messianic overtones, all pointing to Jesus. So, with that in mind, let's dive into Jeremiah's message for us…
[00:13:44] “Behold, the days are coming, says the Lord,”
Usually when a prophet says THE DAYS ARE COMING those words are followed by dire warnings of God's judgment, as happens in other parts of Jeremiah. This passage, however, is different.
“the days are coming, says the Lord, when I will fulfil the promise I made to the house of Israel and the house of Judah.”
Jeremiah is talking about the fulfillment of the promise made to David in 2 Samuel: your house, your throne, your kingdom shall be established forever. By now, however, the nation of Israel has been divided and the house of Israel is the Northern Kingdom; the house of Judah is the Southern Kingdom.
“In those days and at that time I will cause a righteous Branch to spring forth for David;”
[00:14:43] The words IN THOSE DAYS and AT THAT TIME are intended to mean in the fullness of God's time and according to God's plan, while A RIGHTEOUS BRANCH is pointing to a future king that will be a legitimate heir to the throne of King David. Later on, in this passage, these words will take on more Messianic overtones, even for Jeremiah's Jewish audience.
[00:15:12] “And he”
The heir to David's throne
“he shall execute justice and righteousness in the land.”
Meaning that the future king will rule as the Lord God rules - with justice and righteousness.
[00:15:28] “In those days Judah will be saved and Jerusalem will dwell securely.”
[00:15:35] Remember, I said just a moment ago, that this passage is essentially a repeat of verses in chapter 23 - well, this line contains one notable difference. Here it says JERUSALEM WILL DWELL SECURELY, whereas in chapter 23 it says ISRAEL WILL DWELL SECURELY.
[00:15:57] I mention this because I find it quite fascinating and because it seems out of place in this particular Oracle. Remember, this Oracle is about the Restoration of Israel and Judah, so I would have thought the words ISRAEL WILL DWELL SECURELY would have been more appropriate here, while - at the same time - I would have thought that the mention of Jerusalem, the words JERUSALEM WILL DWELL SECURELY, would have fit better in the Oracle about the Last Years of Jerusalem in chapter 23. Just an interesting observation and some food for thought.
[00:16:34] Our reading concludes with…
“And this is the name by which it will be called: ‘The Lord is our righteousness.’”
Let me put those two lines back together because I think they make more sense that way.
In those days Judah will be saved and Jerusalem will dwell securely. And this is the name by which it will be called: ‘The Lord is our righteousness.’”
When Jeremiah says IT WILL BE CALLED, or - more fully - THE NAME BY WHICH IT WILL BE CALLED… does he mean the city of Jerusalem? The kingdom of Judah? Or the future king and legitimate heir of David?
[00:17:15] Well, basically, yes - to any and all of those things - the line has sort of a very broad meaning… and that is really where the Messianic overtones arise in this passage, even for its original audience. When Jeremiah says the name will be THE LORD IS OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS, I want to go back and point out that the NAB translates that as THE LORD IS OUR JUSTICE. Now those two words, righteousness and justice, are closely related and are often used interchangeably. But I want to spend a bit of time here to better understand that there is a difference.
[00:17:55] Justice is often associated with behavior (think about acting in a just manner) while righteousness is often seen as a character trait (being morally just or good). So, what does that mean here for us? I think it means that both things belong, by right, to God… that righteousness is a quality that helps us describe who God IS; while justice helps us explain how God ACTS - the manner in which he acts - towards his people. Is one translation better than the other? Not necessarily, but we should know and understand the difference.
[00:18:48] And before we leave Jeremiah this week, I want to point out a couple of other things. First, we need to be mindful that this passage, this Oracle, was written for a people in exile - and we need to understand it in that context before we try to understand it any other way. These words were a message of hope and a promise of deliverance made for a people in bondage, far from their homes and their homeland.
[00:19:18] Now, we as Christians - looking at this through the lens of the New Testament - we see Messianic overtones in the entire passage… not just the last portion of it. AND we see Jesus as the RIGHTEOUS BRANCH, the legitimate heir of David, the king whose throne is eternal.
[00:19:43] Our Psalm this week is Psalm 25, and the refrain is:
“To you, O LORD, I lift up my soul.”
And here are the verses:
[00:19:53] “Make me to know your ways, O LORD; teach me your paths. Lead me in your truth, and teach me, for you are the God of my salvation; for you I wait all the day long.
[00:20:06] Good and upright is the LORD; therefore he instructs sinners in the way. He leads the humble in what is right, and teaches the humble his way.
[00:20:17] All the paths of the LORD are mercy and faithfulness, for those who keep his covenant and his testimonies. The friendship of the LORD is for those who fear him, and he makes known to them his covenant.
[00:20:32] This is a Wisdom Psalm, or at least it may be a Wisdom Psalm. There are those who suggest it may be a Lament, while still others classify it as a Prayer of Confidence. Regardless of how it's classified, we know that David is the author and that he is clearly expressing confidence in the God who forgives our iniquities, grants us his mercy, and guides our actions.
[00:21:02] Now, in an honor/shame society, as Jewish society was in biblical times, honor would have come from a life lived in fidelity to God and his Covenant. Conversely, a life without honor - one not lived in fidelity to God - is really not worth living. So, living faithfully to God and his Covenant is everything… and that can only be done by knowing God's will. Therefore, the purpose of the petitions in this Psalm (the requests in this Psalm) are to implore God to teach his people the way of righteousness. A prayer that can - and really should - echo down through the ages, even to us today.
[00:21:53] That leads us to our Second Reading, which is from the First Letter of Saint Paul to the Thessalonians 3:12 – 4:2.
[00:22:04] “[Brothers and Sisters:] May the Lord make you increase and abound in love to one another and to all men, as we do to you, so that he may establish your hearts unblameable in holiness before our God and Father, at the coming of our Lord Jesus with all his saints. Finally, brothers and sisters, we beg and exhort you in the Lord Jesus, that as you learned from us how you ought to walk and to please God, just as you are doing, you do so more and more. For you know what instructions we gave you through the Lord Jesus.”
[00:22:45] This Letter to the Thessalonians is the earliest of all New Testament writings. Even keeping in mind that Paul wrote MOST of his letters before any of the Gospels were composed, this particular letter is still the earliest extant composition of any of the New Testament.
[00:23:06] Paul, Timothy, and Silas (or Silvanus as his name is sometimes written) - through much hard work - established the church in Thessalonica during Paul's Second Missionary Journey (a two-and-a-half-year mission that began in 49 AD) and that journey is recorded in the Acts of the Apostles, chapter 17.
[00:23:32] This First Letter to the Thessalonians was composed in Corinth (or maybe Athens, opinions vary) but it was written sometime around 50 AD and sent to the Thessalonians to encourage them in their newly acquired faith. So, let's begin…
“[Brothers and Sisters:] May the Lord make you increase and abound in love to one another and to all men, as we do to you, so that he may establish your hearts unblamable in holiness before our God and Father,”
Paul offers two prayers on behalf of the Thessalonians in this sentence: (1) to increase in love, and (2) to have blameless hearts. And these petitions, while good in and of themselves, are also intended to prepare the Thessalonians for a specific event. And what event is that?
“the coming of our Lord Jesus with all his saints.”
[00:24:47] If it seems like that phrase was intended to evoke the Second Coming, that's because it was. We have to remember Paul believed that the Second Coming - that the return of Jesus - would happen in his lifetime… that Jesus’ return was imminent! And it's also worth noting that Paul did not typically use the term SAINTS in his early letters (the NAB actually translates that as HOLY ONES, which - in this case - is a better translation). Paul, here, is actually paraphrasing the Prophet Zechariah 14: “God will come and all his holy ones with him.”
[00:25:41] So holy ones is a better translation than saints.
“Finally, brothers and sisters,”
These words introduce a section of his letter where Paul exhorts the Thessalonians to persist in good behavior - or holiness!
[00:25:59] Finally, brothers and sisters, we beg and exhort you in the Lord Jesus, that as you learned from us how you ought to walk and to please God, just as you are doing, you should do so more and more.”
[00:26:18] Paul, Timothy, and Silas were exemplars for the Thessalonian community, leaving them a model that extended not just to articles of faith, but to all parts of life. In other words, Paul is telling the Thessalonians that they are to conduct themselves in a manner that is pleasing to God at all times and in all situations. Those words should apply to us today as well! The sentence ends with - YOU DO SO MORE AND MORE - a message of encouragement: don't give up, keep working, be persistent! Certainly a good reminder for us as well!
[00:27:12] For you know what instructions we gave you through the Lord Jesus.”
Paul is reminding the Thessalonians that they heard him preach to them directly… he gave them instructions… but likely not what we're thinking those instructions might have been! The instructions that Paul provided were NOT the Gospels as we would understand them.
[00:27:40] They didn't take the Gospels with them on their Missionary Journey, they couldn't have - the Gospels weren't written yet!
[00:27:48] The instructions that Paul, Silas, and Timothy provided to the people of Thessalonica were most likely instructions on how to act, how to believe, how to worship… based on Paul's understanding of the role of the Holy Spirit. In 1 Thessalonians 4, Paul writes: “For God did not call us to impurity but to holiness. Therefore, whoever disregards this, disregards not a human being but God, who [also] gives his holy Spirit to you.” Paul has a very distinct understanding of the Holy Spirit.
[00:28:42] And, keep in mind too, that Paul was a Pharisee - he was Saul the Pharisee - before his conversion. He was a faithful Jew, well versed in the Scriptures (at that time, of course, meaning the Old Testament, the Hebrew Bible), and a teacher himself, making him well prepared to teach other people… to explain to them the importance of proper worship, proper behavior, everything necessary to be a good follower of the person of Jesus.
[00:29:24] Don't take that to mean that Paul didn't know anything about what Jesus taught, though. It's important to understand - as a Pharisee - he would have known what Jesus was teaching during his public ministry. How many times do we hear in the Gospels, the scribes and the Pharisees, the Sanhedrin, the Pharisees, the scribes, over and over again it's repeated, right? So, we know that Paul would have been aware of what Jesus was teaching. And we need to keep in mind - as we go through all of this - just how much good Paul did… how much good work Paul did… how many local churches he established… all without a single written copy of the Gospels!
[00:30:07] That seems unimaginable to us, but it's true!
[00:30:13] Perhaps that should be a lesson for us as well… that actions CAN speak louder than words… that how we act and what we do really does matter.
[00:30:28] Or, in a quote often attributed (erroneously, by the way) to Saint Francis of Assisi: “Preach the Gospel at all times, if necessary use words.”
[00:30:42] Okay, that has, I think, very particular importance to us right now as we enter this new liturgical Year, as we enter into the season of Advent. Because if we really enter fully into this season of Advent… if we allow it to penetrate deeply into our hearts and our minds and our souls - as I said in our prayer at the beginning - if we set aside some time in this busy season, this busy time of year, this busy holiday rush - to pray, reflect, and listen… if we remind ourselves that we don't know the day or the hour… that the end is inevitable and we must always be prepared for it - prepared to meet the Lord, then perhaps, just perhaps, we really will be a little kinder, a little more patient, a little less stressed (hopefully), a little more focused on others rather than ourselves. And through all of that, a lot more prepared for Jesus when He comes at the end of our lives, at the end of time, or as a humble babe in a manger.
[00:32:18] If you would like to reach out to me with questions or comments, send me an email at
[email protected]
Thank you for listening and until next we meet, may God shower His blessings upon you like a soft and gentle rain and may he hold you, safe and secure, in the palm of his hand.
[00:32:38] From His Word to Our Hearts is produced by SFS Audio Solutions.
The content of the show was assembled by me, Sally Moriarty-Flask.
Our music was composed by Jimmy Flask and is used with permission of the composer. All rights reserved.
Information regarding references used in preparing the exegesis for this podcast is available upon request.
Thank you for listening. Have a wonderful Advent and God bless!
