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From: Isaiah 61:1-2a, 10-11

The Herald of Good Tidings
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[1] The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me,
because the Lord has anointed me
to bring good tidings to the afflicted;
he has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted,
to proclaim liberty to the captives,
and the opening of the prison to those who are bound;
[2a] to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor,
and the day of vengeance of our God.

[10] I will greatly rejoice in the Lord, my soul shall exult in my God; for he has clothed me with the garments of salvation, he has covered me with the robe of righteousness, as a bridegroom decks himself with a garland, and as a bride adorns herself with her jewels. as the earth brings forth its shoots, and as a garden causes what is sown in it to spring up so the Lord GOD will cause righteousness and praise to spring forth before all the nations.

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Commentary:

61:1-11. Into the air of great joy reflected in the previous hymn, the prophet inserts this very important oracle about the new messenger (vv. 1-3). The rest of the chapter is made up of three stanzas that celebrate the wonders of the holy city. These can be seen in profound, spiritual renewal (vv. 4-7), perfect fulfillment of the promises made to the ancient patriarchs (vv. 8-9), and joy-in-worship, comparable to that of bridegroom and bride, or that of the farmer on seeing a rich harvest (vv. 10-11).

The remarkable events and features of the city point to the time of the End, the time of the Lord's definitive salvific intervention. In this context these new things are ultimate and definitive. Because in the New Testament the Church is called “God’s building” (1 Cor 3:9), erected on the foundation of the apostles (1 Cor 3:11), Christian tradition has seen the new, glorious Jerusalem as a symbol of the Church that makes its way through this world and will be made manifest at the end of time (cf. "Catechism of the Catholic Church", 756-757).

61:1-3. This very compact oracle depicts the eschatological messenger speaking a soliloquy. It is one of the key passages in the book of Isaiah. It clearly has connections with the songs of the Servant, especially the second song (49:1-6). The pouring out of the Spirit involves anointing as in the case of the king (cf. 11:2) and in that of the Servant of the Lord (42:1). But the messenger is more than a king, more than a prophet, more than the community dwelling in the holy city in the latter days. His mission is a dual one-- to be a messenger and a comforter. As a messenger, like a king’s ambassador in times of war, he brings good tidings: he announces redemption for slaves, release for prisoners (cf. Jer 34:8, 17). His message proclaims a new order of things where there will be no need for repression and where concord and well-being will prevail. The “year of the Lord’s favor" (v. 2) is similar to the jubilee year (cf. Lev 25:8-19) or the sabbatical year (cf. Ex 21:2-11; Jer 34:14; Ezek 46:17) in the sense that it is a day chosen by the Lord, and different from any other; but here it means the point at which God shows himself to be most gracious and bestows definitive salvation (cf. 49:8). It is also called the day of vengeance (V. 2) because on that day, essentially a day of good news, the wicked, too, receive their just deserts.

As a comforter he will bind up hearts broken by illness or misfortune, and give encouragement to those who weep and revive those who mourn in Zion. When the comforter is the Lord or a messenger of his (cf. 40:1), one can expect him to re-establish his peoples to set things right, (the way they were at the beginning), to renew the broken Covenant and re-establish institutions that had been dismantled, that is, bring about a situation where everything is in plentiful supply.

People who have reached rock bottom (the poor, prisoners etc.) will be given a place of honor on that day, and a wreath, perfume and a mantle of praise (V. 3). In sacred texts of the post-exilic period, the concept of the “poor” (or “afflicted”: cf. note m) already went beyond the social category of those least well off: it had a religious connotation, meaning “the humble”, those who saw themselves as having no value before God and who simply put their faith in his divine mercy. The final definition of the “poor” will emerge in the Beatitudes (Mt 5:3-12).

In Jesus’ time, Jewish tradition, found in the targum or Aramaic translation of the Bible, considered the messenger described here to be a prophet (and for that reason it introduced this oracle with the words "Thus says the prophet”). So, when Jesus reads this passage in the synagogue of Nazareth he points out that “today the scripture has been fulfilled” (Lk 4:21) and that he is the prophet of whom Isaiah spoke. By doing so, he is saying that he is the Messiah, the Christ, the one anointed by the Holy Spirit (cf. Is 11:2), not so much as a king but as a prophet who proclaims salvation. Ever since then, Christian teaching sees Jesus as the last messenger sent by the Holy Spirit: “The prophet presents the Messiah as the one who comes in the Holy Spirit, the one who possesses the fullness of this Spirit in himself and at the same time for others, for Israel, for all the nations, for all humanity. The fullness of the Spirit of God is accompanied by many different gifts, the treasures of salvation, destined in a particular way for the poor and suffering, for all those who open their hearts to these gifts--sometimes through the painful experience of their own existence--but first of all through that interior availability which comes from faith. The aged Simeon, the ‘righteous and devout man’ upon whom ‘rested the Holy Spirit’, sensed this at the moment of Jesus’ presentation in the Temple, when he perceived in him the ‘salvation prepared in the presence of all peoples’ at the price of the great suffering--the Cross--which he would have to embrace together with his Mother. The Virgin Mary, who ‘had conceived by the Holy Spirit’, sensed this even more clearly, when she pondered in her heart the ‘mysteries’ of the Messiah, with whom she was associated” ("Dominum Et Vivificantem", 16).

From: 1 Thessalonians 5:16-24

Various Counsels (Continuation)
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[16] Rejoice always, [17] pray constantly, [18] give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you. [19] Do not quench the Spirit, [20] do not despise prophesying, [21] but test everything; hold fast what is good, [22] abstain from every form of evil.

Closing Prayer and Farewell
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[23] May the God of peace himself sanctify you wholly; and may your spirit and soul and body be kept sound and blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. [24] He who calls you is faithful, and he will do it.

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Commentary

16. Being at peace with God and with others fills one with joy and serenity, so much so that even great suffering and sorrow, if borne with faith, cannot take away one's joy. "Being children of God, how can we be sad? Sadness is the end product of selfishness. If we truly want to live for God, we will never lack cheerfulness, even when we discover our errors and wretchedness. Cheerfulness finds its way into our life of prayer, so much so that we cannot help singing for joy. For we are in love, and singing is a thing that lovers do" ([St] J. Escriva, "Friends of God", 92).

When someone allows sadness to overwhelm him, even his prayers to God are of no avail because he is failing to accept God's will. An anonymous second-century Christian writer, in a famous document, says: "Why does the prayer of the melancholy man not reach up to the altar of God? [...] Because supplication when mixed with melancholy is prevented from ascending pure to the altar. Just as wine mixed with vinegar has no longer the same flavor, so the Holy Spirit mixed with melancholy has not the same power of supplication. Cleanse yourself, therefore, of this evil melancholy, and you will live for God. So, too, will they live for God who cast away melancholy and clothe themselves entirely in joy" ("The Shepherd of Hermas", 10th Commandment, 3).

17. Our Lord impressed on his Apostles the need for prayer at all times, and underlined this by his own life of prayer (cf. Lk 18:1). "The Apostle", St Jerome says, "tells us to pray always. For holy people, even sleep is a prayer. However, we should have certain times of prayer spread out over the day so that, even if we are involved in some task, the timetable we have given ourselves will remind us that duty calls" ("Letter", 22, 37).

"A Christian life should be one of constant prayer, trying to live in the presence of God from morning to night and from night to morning. A Christian can never be a lonely person, since he lives in continual contact with God, who is both near us and in heaven [...]. in the middle of his daily work, when he has to overcome his selfishness, when he enjoys the cheerful friendship of other people, a Christian should rediscover God" ([St]J. Escriva, "Christ Is Passing By", 116).

18. This verse completes the triptych which shows the Christian how to live in line with "the will of God"--joy (v. 16), prayer (v. 17) and thanksgiving.

"There is no one", St Bernard says, "who, if he just thinks about it a little, cannot find very good reasons to express his gratitude to God" ("Sermon on the Sixth Sunday after Pentecost", 2, 1). In addition to life itself and all the natural gifts we have received, there are the fruits of the Redemption wrought by Christ, and even "the natural order of things requires that he who has received a favor should, by repaying it, turn to his benefactor in gratitude" ("Summa Theologiae", II-II, q. 106, a. 3). It follows that gratefulness should be a permanent attitude of the children of God, whether they find themselves in pleasant or disagreeable circumstances, for they know that "in everything God works for good with those who love him" (Rom 8:28). "If things go well, let us rejoice, blessing God who makes them prosper. And if they go badly? Let us rejoice, blessing God who allows us to share in the sweetness of his Cross" ([St] J. Escriva, "The Way", 658).

19-22. No one should smother the graces and charisms the Holy Spirit grants as he wishes (cf. 1 Cor 13 and 14); and the gift of prophecy (v. 20) should be held in special regard. The "prophets" referred to in the New Testament were Christians to whom God gave special graces to encourage, console, correct or instruct others. They did not constitute a special class or group, as was the case in the Old Testament. Some of them may at times have abused their gifts and tried to impose their counsel on others, but that does not mean that those who had this gift were not to be held in high regard, for thanks to this charism they were a great asset to the Church.

"It is only through the sacraments and the ministrations of the Church that the Holy Spirit makes holy the people of God, leads them and enriches them with his virtues. Allotting his gifts according as he wills it (cf. 1 Cor 12:11), he also distributes special graces among the faithful of every rank. By these gifts he makes them fit and ready to undertake various tasks and offices for the renewal and building up of the Church, as it is written, 'to each is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good' (1 Cor 12:7). Whether these charisms be very remarkable or more simple and widely diffused they are to be received with thanksgiving and consolation since they are fitting and useful for the needs of the Church. Extraordinary gifts are not to be rashly desired, nor is it from them that the fruits of apostolic labors are to be presumptuously expected. Those who have charge over the Church should judge the genuineness and proper use of these gifts, though their office is not indeed to extinguish the Spirit, but to test all things and hold fast to what is good (cf. 1 Thess 5:12 and 19-21)" (Vatican 11, "Lumen Gentium", 12).

21. This verse refers directly to charisms and the discernment of charisms; but it can be taken as advice to reflect prudently before taking any decision, so as always to do the right thing.

23. "Spirit and soul and body": three aspects which go to make up a well-integrated human person. Spirit and soul are in fact two forms of the same principle. Here soul refers to the principle of sensitive life, whereas "spirit" is the source of man's higher life; his intellectual life derives from his spirit, and this intellectual life, once enlightened by faith, is open to the action of the Holy Spirit (cf. Rom 1:9).

In this verse God is being invoked to "sanctify" believers, to preserve the purity of the human person at all levels (spirit, soul and body). Given that even after Baptism man has an inclination towards sin and often does offend the Lord (even if not gravely), he needs to practice penance in order to stay unsullied. Moreover, the "sanctification" which God brings about in man affects his entire being. In the last analysis, Christian holiness is the fullness of the order established by God at the Creation and reestablished after man's sin. And so the Apostle invokes God as "the God of peace", for peace is, according to theological definition, "tranquility in order". Sanctity gives all man's faculties, physical as well as spiritual, their perfection and wholeness, thereby rounding off and perfecting the natural order, without superseding it.

Sanctification is the joint work of God and man. God's action begins at Baptism and develops thereafter (cf. 3:13); but for a person to attain lasting sanctity he needs to make a constant effort to second God's action. "Conversion is the task of a moment; sanctification is the work of a lifetime. The divine seed of charity, which God has sown in our souls, desires to grow, to express itself in deeds, to yield results which continually coincide with what God wants. Therefore, we must be ready to begin again, to find again--in new situations--the light and the stimulus of our first conversion" ([St] J. Escriva, "Christ Is Passing By", 58).

24. "He who calls you": the Greek text conveys the idea of continuous action. The calling which God addresses to a person is not an isolated event occurring at a single point in his life; it is a permanent attitude of God, who is continually calling us to be holy. Therefore, vocation is not something which can be lost; but man's response can cease. Faithfulness is an attitude of God: he always keeps his promises and never ceases in his salvific purpose: "He who began a good work in you will bring it to completion" (Phil 1:6); so holiness depends on divine grace (which is always available) and on man's response. Final perseverance is a grace but it will not be denied to anyone who strives to do good. "Buoyed up by this hope," St Clement of Rome comments, "let us bind our souls to him who is true to his word and righteous in his judgments. He who has forbidden us to use any deception can much less be a deceiver himself" ("Letter to the Corinthians", 1, 27).

From: John 1:6-8, 19-28

Prologue
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[6] There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. [7] He came for testimony to bear witness to the light, that all might believe through him. [8] He was not the light, but came to bear witness to the light.

The Witness of John
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[19] And this is the testimony of John, when the Jews sent priests and Levites from Jerusalem to ask him, "Who are you?" [20] He confessed, he did not deny, but confessed, "I am not the Christ." [21] And they asked him, "What then? Are you Elijah?" He said, "I am not." "Are you the prophet?" And he answered, "No." [22] They said to him then, "Who are you? Let us have an answer for those who sent us. What do you say about yourself?" [23] He said, "I am the voice of one crying in the wilderness, `Make straight the way of the Lord,' as the prophet Isaiah said."

[24] Now they had been sent from the Pharisees. [25] They asked him, "Then why are you baptizing, if you are neither the Christ, nor Elijah, nor the prophet?" [26] John answered, "I baptize with water; but among you stands One whom you do not know, [27] even He who comes after me, the thong of whose sandal I am not worthy to untie." [28] This took place in Bethany beyond the Jordan, where John was baptizing.

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Commentary:

6-8. After considering the divinity of the Lord, the text moves on to deal with his incarnation, and begins by speaking of John the Baptist, who makes his appearance at a precise point in history to bear direct witness before man to Jesus Christ (Jn 1:15, 19-36; 3:22ff). As St Augustine comments: "For as much as he [the Word Incarnate] was man and his Godhead was concealed, there was sent before him a great man, through whose testimony He might be found to be more than man" ("In Ioann. Evang.", 2, 5).

All of the Old Testament was a preparation for the coming of Christ. Thus, the patriarchs and prophets announced, in different ways, the salvation the Messiah would bring. But John the Baptist, the greatest of those born of woman (cf. Mt 11:11), was actually able to point out the Messiah himself; his testimony marked the culmination of all the previous prophecies.

So important is John the Baptist's mission to bear witness to Jesus Christ that the Synoptic Gospels stage their account of the public ministry with John's testimony. The discourses of St Peter and St Paul recorded in the Acts of the Apostles also refer to this testimony (Acts 1:22; 10:37; 12:24). The Fourth Gospel mentions it as many as seven times (1:6, 15, 19, 29, 35; 3:27; 5:33). We know, of course, that St John the Apostle was a disciple of the Baptist before becoming a disciple of Jesus, and that it was precisely the Baptist who showed him the way to Christ (cf. 1 :37ff).

The New Testament, then, shows us the importance of the Baptist's mission, as also his own awareness that he is merely the immediate Precursor of the Messiah, whose sandals he is unworthy to untie (cf. Mk 1:7): the Baptist stresses his role as witness to Christ and his mission as preparer of the way for the Messiah (cf. Lk 1:15-17; Mt 3: 3-12). John the Baptist's testimony is undiminished by time: he invites people in every generation to have faith in Jesus, the true Light.

19-34. This passage forms a unity, beginning and ending with reference to the Baptist's "testimony": it thereby emphasizes the mission given him by God to bear witness, by his life and preaching, to Jesus as the Messiah and Son of God. The Precursor exhorts people to do penance and he practices the austerity he preaches; he points Jesus out as the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world; and he proclaims him boldly in the face of the Jewish authorities. He is an example to us of the fortitude with which we should confess Christ: "All Christians by the example of their lives and the witness of the word, wherever they live, have an obligation to manifest the new man which the put on in Baptism" (Vatican II, "Ad Gentes", 11).

19-24. In this setting of intense expectation of the imminent coming of the Messiah, the Baptist is a personality with enormous prestige, as is shown by the fact that the Jewish authorities send qualified people (priests and Levites from Jerusalem) to ask him if he is the Messiah.

John's great humility should be noted: he is quick to tell his questioners: "I am not the Christ". He sees himself as someone insignificant compared with our Lord: "I am not worthy to untie the thong of His sandal" (verse 27). He places all his prestige at the service of his mission as precursor of the Messiah and, leaving himself completely to one side, he asserts that "He must increase, but I must decrease" (John 3:30).

25-26. "Baptize": this originally meant to submerge in water, to bathe. For the Jews the rite of immersion meant legal purification of those who had contracted some impurity under the Law. Baptism was also used as a rite for the incorporation of Gentile proselytes into the Jewish people. In the Dead Sea Scrolls there is mention of a baptism as a rite of initiation and purification into the Jewish Qumran community, which existed in our Lord's time.

John's baptism laid marked stress on interior conversion. His words of exhortation and the person's humble recognition of his sins prepared people to receive Christ's grace: it was a very efficacious rite of penance, preparing the people for the coming of the Messiah, and it fulfilled the prophecies that spoke precisely of a cleansing by water prior to the coming of the Kingdom of God in the messianic times (cf. Zechariah 13:1; Ezekiel 36:25; 37-23; Jeremiah 4:14). John's baptism, however, had no power to cleanse the soul of sins, as Christian Baptism does (cf. Matthew 3:11; Mark 1:4).

"One whom you do not know": Jesus had not yet publicly revealed Himself as Messiah and Son of God; although some people did know as a man, St. John the Baptist could assert that really they did not know Him.

27. The Baptist declares Christ's importance by comparing himself to a slave undoing the laces of his master's sandals. If we want to approach Christ, whom St. John heralds, we need to imitate the Baptist. As St. Augustine says: "He who imitates the humility of the Precursor will understand these words. [...] John's greatest merit, my brethren, is this act of humility" ("In Ioann. Evang.", 4, 7).

28. This is a reference to the town of Bethany which was situated of the eastern bank of the Jordan, across from Jericho--different from the Bethany where Lazarus and his family lived, near Jerusalem (cf. John 11:18).