| Thur Dec 18 | am: 50, 59 pm: 60, 33 | Zech 4:1-14 | Rev 4:9-5:5 | Matt 1:1-17 |
ON THE LITURGICAL CALENDAR – St. Sebastian, Martyr at Rome, 287
Sebastian was a young Christian from Gaul who secretly rose to become Captain of the Praetorian Guard—Emperor Diocletian’s personal bodyguard—in 3rd-century Rome.
While serving, he used his high rank to perform a covert ministry, providing aid and comfort to Christian prisoners during the severe Roman persecution. He even managed to convert jailers and other officials.
In 286 AD, Emperor Diocletian discovered Sebastian’s faith and demanded that he renounce it. Sebastian refused.
- First Execution: Diocletian ordered Sebastian to be executed by arrows. Miraculously, he survived the barrage.
- Defiance: He was healed by the widow St. Irene. Instead of hiding, Sebastian returned to the palace to publicly denounce the Emperor’s cruelty.
- Final Execution: Enraged, Diocletian ordered Sebastian to be brutally clubbed to death.
His body was recovered by fellow Christians and buried along the Appian Way. Sebastian is remembered for his unwavering courage and resilience in the face of absolute power.
Second O Antiphon: O Adonai
LATIN: O Adonai et Dux domus Israel, qui Moysi in igne flammae rubi apparuisti, et ei in Sina legem dedisti: veni ad redimendum nos in bracchio extento)
ENGLISH: Come, Leader of Ancient Israel, giver of the Law to Moses on Sinai: rescue us with your mighty power!
SYMBOLISM: Today we mark Antiphon #2 O Adonai – O LORD OF ISRAEL, – Adonai is Hebrew for Lord. Lord is the substitute term for Yahweh, the sacred, saving, Gospel name of God under the old covenant. “Say this to the people of Israel, ‘Yahweh the God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, has sent me to you.’” This is my name forever, and thus I am to be remembered throughout all generations.” To say Adonai is to say Yahweh, the Name that saves. Where God’s Name is, there is holy ground. The Lord is present! Is that true when we speak God’s name? What context do we say it in? Is that a holy way?
BIBLICAL MEDITATION –In just over a week, we celebrate the birth of Jesus— did you know he had a family that went back 14 generations? Part of who we are is revealed from generation to generation. The interesting idea in the Gospel today, taken from the Lectionary of the Latin Rite, is that the women mentioned had “irregular” relationships with the men with whom they bore their children, as in the case of being a prostitute or an alien ( or like Mary, who was pregnant with Jesus before her marriage). Nonetheless, each one of them had something to do with carrying on the family line from Abraham to the Messiah. If God could use such as these for his purposes, what could he do with us?
Advent is the ideal moment in time to ask deep questions about our nature in relation to him and the world. As in the case of Zechariah and today’s Gospel, we must face that none of us is perfect, many of us are complex, too busy, too unfocused, to discern how God may use me. Can the Lord use me? It is not the question, but rather, will I let the Lord use me to be his messenger this season about his promise to be born as one of us, yet redeem us?
Prayer: O God, who, by thy most blessed Martyr Sebastian, hast infused courage into the hearts of Thy faithful, since Thou didst make him, while concealed under the service of an earthly commander, a perfect soldier of thine own: grant, that we may ever fight for the securing Thy praise; arm our mouth with the teachings of thy justice; enlighten our heart with the love of Thy love, and, having freed our flesh from its concupiscence, secure it to Thyself with the nails of Thy cross. Amen.
Spiritual Discipline/Activity – To reinforce the devotion of the O Antiphon, your family, small groups, etc., could prepare what is called an O Antiphon House, which is a little cardboard house with nine hinged windows (two extra for Christmas Eve and Christmas Day), each hiding the appropriate symbol for the “O” Antiphon of the day. Each window can be opened at the end of family evening prayers, as the corresponding verse to “O Come, Emmanuel” is sung. Perhaps another way to celebrate the “O” Antiphons is reviving the old custom of monasteries of different monks furnishing extra treats on these days to the members of the community. So a member of your home, family, or community would take on that role.
ANCIENT WISDOM/PRESENT GRACE: “The devil strains every nerve to secure the souls which belong to Christ. We should not grudge our toil in wresting them from Satan and giving them back to God.” ~ Saint Sebastian –
SONG OF THE HEART, SONG OF THE SEASON: To the Dregs – A Song for St. Sebastian