ON THE TWOFOLD COMING OF CHRIST

SCRUTATIO SCRIPTURAE

A Scrutatio for the 1st Sunday of the CHRISTIAN SEASON OF ADVENT

Readings from the Anglican Book of Common Prayer
Isaiah 64:1-9 / Psalm 80 / I Corinthians 1:1-9 / Mark 13:24-37

Readings for the Pauline/Vatican II Rite of the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass

Isaiah  63:16b-17, 19b and 64:2-7 / Psalm 80:2-3, 15-16 and 18-19 / I Corinthians 1:3-9 / Mark 13:33-37

Readings for the Tridentine Rite of the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass

Introit: Psalm 25 (24):1-3 

Epistle: Romans 13:11-14 

Gradual: Psalm 25 (24):3-4

Alleluia:

Psalm 84 (85):7

Gospel 

Luke 21:25-33

Offertory: 

Psalm 25 (24):1-3 

Communion Antiphon: Psalm 85 (84):12 

For the whole Liturgical Year B of the Pauline/Vatican II Rite of the Most Blessed Sacrament of the Divine Liturgy of the Most Sublime Sacrifice of the Mass, in which the focus will be on the Sacred Gospel According to the blessed Evangelist Mark, who is the “first ever Papal Secretary” to the blessed Apostle Peter, Let me be “silent” and let the Sacred Fathers and Doctors of our Holy Mother Church speak to us about the Beauty of our Most Sacred Faith given to us by our Most Sweet and Sacred Redeemer, Jesus Christ of Nazareth, the Only Son of the Eternal Father and the Word of God made flesh!

Let us meditate on this first Sunday of Advent (from the Latin: Adventus, which means “Coming”, for this four Sundays will focus on the first coming of Jesus in his Incarnation as well as His second and final coming as the King of kings and Lord of Lords, the Ultimate Judge of the Cosmos) from this sermon of Saint Cyril, the 4^th Century A.D. Bishop of Jerusalem, entitled:

ON THE TWOFOLD COMING OF CHRIST

We do not preach only one coming of Christ, but a second as well, much more glorious than the first. The first coming was marked by patience; the second will bring the crown of a divine kingdom.

In general, whatever relates to our Lord Jesus Christ has two aspects. There is a birth from God before the ages, and a birth from a virgin at the fullness of time. There is a hidden coming, like that of rain on fleece, and a coming before all eyes, still in the future.

At the first coming he was wrapped in swaddling clothes in a manger. At his second coming he will be clothed in light as in a garment. In the first coming he endured the cross, despising the shame; in the second coming he will be in glory, escorted by an army of angels.

We look then beyond the first coming and await the second. At the first coming we said: Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord. At the second we shall say it again; we shall go out with the angels to meet the Lord and cry out in adoration: Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.

The Saviour will not come to be judged again, but to judge those by whom he was judged. At his own judgment he was silent; then he will address those who committed the outrages against him when they crucified him and will remind them: You did these things, and I was silent.

His first coming was to fulfill his plan of love, to teach men by gentle persuasion. This time, whether men like it or not, they will be subjects of his kingdom by necessity.

Malachi the prophet speaks of the two comings. And the Lord whom you seek will come suddenly to his temple: that is one coming.

Again he says of another coming: Look, the Lord almighty will come, and who will endure the day of his entry, or who will stand in his sight? Because he comes like a refiner's fire, a fuller's herb, and he will sit refining and cleansing.

These two comings are also referred to by Paul in writing to Titus: The grace of God the Saviour has appeared to all men, instructing us to put aside impiety and worldly desires and live temperately, uprightly, and religiously in this present age, waiting for the joyful hope, the appearance of the glory of our great God and Saviour, Jesus Christ. Notice how he speaks of a first coming for which he gives thanks, and a second, the one we still await.

That is why the faith we profess has been handed on to you in these words: He ascended into heaven, and is seated at the right hand of the Father, and he will come again in glory to judge the living and the dead, and his kingdom will have no end.

Our Lord Jesus Christ will therefore come from heaven. He will come at the end of the world, in glory, at the last day. For there will be an end to this world, and the created world will be made new.