03 - 3rd Week of Advent

Sunday Summary

Zephaniah 3:14-18 - Rejoice. The LORD has removed judgement against you. He has turned away your enemies. Do not fear. Do not be discouraged.  The LORD  is in your midst.

(Letter/Epistle of St Paul to the) Philippians 4:4-7 - By prayer and petition with thanksgiving, make your requests known to God. God will guard your hearts and minds in Jesus. Rejoice. He is near.

Luke 3:10-18 - St John the Baptist continues to baptize with water and proclaims the coming of the Saviour, who will baptize with the holy Spirit and fire.

Who is...?

Zephaniah

• In this time of prophecy (not long before the fall of Jerusalem in 587 BC), the Jews worshipped false gods and "foreign practices". He prophesied on the judgement against the Jews and also on their deliverance (that God will save them).

Philippians

• Those who lived in Philippi (in present day Greece). 

• St Paul, the Apostle to the Gentiles (non-Jews), wrote this letter to the early Church in Philippi, where he established the first Christian community in Europe. 

Luke

• He was a physician. He was a disciple of St Paul. 

• He wrote the Gospel of Luke and the Book of Acts (or Acts of the Apostles).

John the Baptist

• He is the cousin of Jesus. 

• His mother is Elizabeth, whom Mary visited. Both were pregnant with their respective sons. (Luke 1:39-45)

• He encouraged the Jews to repent. This was marked by the baptism in the Jordan River.  He baptized many Jews including Jesus. (Matthew 3:13-17)

Basic Message

Conversion - joy and justice.

Opening the Word Podcast from AmenApp.org (5:51)

Dig deeper into this Sunday's Readings and Gospel with teachings from Brant Pitre.

Saints