The Word of December 2, 2022

Read and listen to The Word of December 2, 2022

Friday of the first week of Advent

• S. Blanca de Castilla Queen of France (1188-1252)
• B. Ivan Slezyuk bishop in Ukraine and martyr (1896-1973)

First Reading

On that day the eyes of the blind will see.

From the book of the prophet Isaiah
Is 29,17-24
 
Così dice il Signore God:
"Of course, a little more
and Lebanon will turn into an orchard
and the orchard will be considered a forest.

On that day the deaf will hear the words of the book;
deliver yourself from darkness and darkness,
the eyes of the blind will see.
The humble will rejoice again in the Lord,
the poorest will rejoice in the Holy One of Israel.

Because the tyrant will no longer be, the arrogant will disappear,
those who plot iniquity will be eliminated,
how many with the word make others guilty,
those at the door set traps for the judge
and ruin the right for nothing.

Therefore, says the Lord to the house of Jacob,
who redeemed Abraham:
"Henceforth Jacob shall blush no more,
his face will no longer pale,
poiché vedendo i suoi figli l’opera delle mie mani tra loro,
they will sanctify my name,
they will sanctify the Holy of Jacob
e temeranno il God d’Israele.

Wayward spirits will learn wisdom,
those who murmur will learn their lesson."

Parola di God.
 

Responsorial Psalm
From Ps 26 (27)

R. The Lord is my light and my salvation.

The Lord is my light and my salvation:
who will I be afraid of?
The Lord is defense of my life:
who will I be afraid of? R.
 
One thing I asked the Lord,
I'm only looking for this:
dwell in the house of the Lord
every day of my life,
to contemplate the beauty of the Lord
and admire its sanctuary. R.
 
I am sure I contemplate the goodness of the Lord
in the land of the living.
Hope in the Lord, be strong,
strengthen your heart and hope in the Lord. R.
 

Gospel acclamation

Hallelujah, hallelujah.

The Lord comes, let us go to meet him:
he is the light of the world.

Alleluia.

Gospel

Jesus guarisce due ciechi che credono in lui.

From the Gospel according to Matthew
Mt 9,27-31
 
In quel tempo, mentre Jesus si allontanava, due ciechi lo seguirono gridando: «Son di Davide, abbi pietà di noi!».

Entrato in casa, i ciechi gli si avvicinarono e Jesus disse loro: «Credete che io possa fare questo?». Gli risposero: «Sì, o Signore!».

Then he touched their eyes and said: «May it be done for you according to your faith». And their eyes were opened.
Quindi Jesus li ammonì dicendo: «Badate che nessuno lo sappia!».

But they, as soon as they left, spread the news throughout that region.

Word of the Lord.

Simeon the New Theologian (ca 949-1022)

greek monk

Hymn 53

The blinding of men

[Christ dice:] [Quando ho creato Adamo] gli ho dato il dono di vedermi e così di avere la dignità degli angeli. (…) Vedeva tutto quanto avevo creato con gli occhi del corpo ma con gli occhi dell’intelligenza, vedeva il mio volto, il volto del suo Creatore.

He contemplated my glory and was with me at any time. But when, transgressing my command, he ate of the fruit of the tree, he became blind. and fell into the darkness of death (…). But I took pity on him and I came from above. I, the absolutely invisible, I took the texture of the flesh. Taking a beginning from the flesh, having become a man, I was seen by all.

Why could I accept all this? Because that's the real reason I created Adam: for him to see me. When he was blinded and, after him, all his descendants, I could no longer bear to be, I, in the divine glory, and to abandon, (…) those I had created with my hands; I became man-like in every way, corporal with corporals, and voluntarily united with them.

Think what my desire is to be seen by men (…)! So how can you say that I hide from you, that I don't let myself be seen? Truly I shine, but you do not look at me.

WORDS OF THE HOLY FATHER

I due del Vangelo si fidano di Jesus e lo seguono in cerca di luce per i loro occhi. E perché, fratelli e sorelle, queste due persone si fidano di Jesus?

Because they perceive that, in the darkness of history, He is the light that illuminates the nights of the heart and of the world, who defeats darkness and overcomes all blindness.

We too, we know, carry blindnesses in our hearts. We too, like the two blind men, are wayfarers often immersed in the darkness of life.

La prima cosa da fare è andare da Jesus, come Lui stesso chiede: «Venite a me voi tutti, che siete stanchi e oppressi, e io vi darò ristoro» (Mt 11,28). (Homily atGSP Stadiumof Nicosia, 3 December 2021)