Pope's Intentions
Universal: That the birth of the Redeemer may bring peace and hope to all people of good will.
For Evangelization: That parents may be true evangelizers, passing on to their children the precious gift of faith.
Monday of the First week of Advent
Commentary of the day
Saint Bernard (1091-1153), Cistercian monk and doctor of the Church
6th sermon for Advent
The whole earth will be filled with the majesty of God
One day the Lord will come to restore our bodily strength as the apostle Paul says : « We await a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ. He will change our mortal body to conform with his glorious body” (Phil 3,20-21)…
The God of Hosts, Lord of might and King of glory will come from heaven to transform our mortal bodies himself and make them like his glorious body. What glory, what joy there will be when the world’s Creator, who concealed himself in lowly form when he came to redeem us, will appear in all his glory and majesty…, in the sight of all, to glorify our wretched bodies! Who will then call to mind his first coming when he is seen descending in light, preceded by angels who, at the sound of the trumpet, will take up our body of dust to carry it before Christ? (1Thes 4,16f)…
So let our soul rejoice and our body rest in hope while it is waiting for our Savior and Lord Jesus Christ who will transform it to make it like his glorious body. One of the prophets wrote: “If my soul thirsts for you, how much more does my body desire you too!” (Ps 62,2 Vg). The soul of this prophet begged and prayed for the first coming of the Savior who was to redeem it, but his flesh begged even more earnestly for the final coming when it would be glorified. Then will all our prayers be satisfied: the whole earth will be filled with the majesty of God. May God in his mercy lead us to that glory, that happiness, that peace which passes all that can be imagined (Phil 4,7), and may our Lord Jesus Christ not permit our ardent waiting for the Savior to be dismayed.