First Reading

The Book of Zephaniah (Zep 3: 14-18a)

The LORD will rejoice over you with gladness.

Shout for joy, O daughter Zion!
Sing joyfully, O Israel!
Be glad and exult with all your heart,
O daughter Jerusalem!
The LORD has removed the judgment against you
he has turned away your enemies;
the King of Israel, the LORD, is in your midst,
you have no further misfortune to fear.
On that day, it shall be said to Jerusalem:
Fear not, O Zion, be not discouraged!
The LORD, your God, is in your midst,
a mighty savior;
he will rejoice over you with gladness,
and renew you in his love,
he will sing joyfully because of you,
as one sings at festivals.

— The word of the Lord.

Responsorial Psalm

Is 12: 2-3, 4, 5-6

Cry out with joy and gladness: for among you is the great and Holy One of Israel.

God indeed is my savior;
I am confident and unafraid.
My strength and my courage is the LORD,
and he has been my savior.
With joy you will draw water
at the fountain of salvation.

Give thanks to the LORD, acclaim his name;
among the nations make known his deeds,
proclaim how exalted is his name.

Sing praise to the LORD for his glorious achievement;
let this be known throughout all the earth.
Shout with exultation, O city of Zion,
for great in your midst
is the Holy One of Israel!

Second Reading

Letter of Saint Paul to the Philippians (Phil 4: 4-7)

The Lord is near.

Brothers and sisters:
Rejoice in the Lord always.
I shall say it again: rejoice!
Your kindness should be known to all.
The Lord is near.
Have no anxiety at all, but in everything,
by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving,
make your requests known to God.
Then the peace of God that surpasses all understanding
will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.

— The word of the Lord.

Gospel

Alleluia, alleluia.

The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to bring glad tidings to the poor.

Alleluia, alleluia.

Gospel of Jesus Christ according to Saint Luke (Lk 3: 10-18)

What should we do?

The crowds asked John the Baptist,

“What should we do?”

He said to them in reply,

“Whoever has two cloaks
should share with the person who has none.
And whoever has food should do likewise.”

Even tax collectors came to be baptized and they said to him,

“Teacher, what should we do?”

He answered them,

“Stop collecting more than what is prescribed.”

Soldiers also asked him,

“And what is it that we should do?”

He told them,

“Do not practice extortion,
do not falsely accuse anyone,
and be satisfied with your wages.”

Now the people were filled with expectation,
and all were asking in their hearts
whether John might be the Christ.
John answered them all, saying,

“I am baptizing you with water,
but one mightier than I is coming.
I am not worthy to loosen the thongs of his sandals.
He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire.
His winnowing fan is in his hand to clear his threshing floor
and to gather the wheat into his barn,
but the chaff he will burn with unquenchable fire.”

Exhorting them in many other ways,
he preached good news to the people.

— The Gospel of the Lord.

Paying tax is a way of showing that a person is a good citizen. Taxes are part of the elements that can be used to develop a city; when we pay taxes, we can freely express our opinions, and we are also part of the financial partners for development. The choice made by the Malagasy MPs regarding the State budget is a choice that does not bring good results, and it also neglects education, health and agriculture, which are the livelihoods of the Malagasy people. Mba ho vanona’ programme in collaboration with General Désiré Ramakavelo.

During the Advent period, the Catholic Church uses a sign called the Advent wreath, made up of 4 candles lit on each of the four Sundays before Christmas. These candles represent the four weeks of ‘Advent’, with one candle lit each Sunday and the number of lights corresponding to the week. Three of the candles must be purple and the one used in the third week must be pink.

First Reading

The Wisdom of Ben Sira (Sir 48: 1-4, 9-11)

Elijah must return.

In those days,
like a fire there appeared the prophet Elijah
whose words were as a flaming furnace.
Their staff of bread he shattered,
in his zeal he reduced them to straits;
By the Lord’s word he shut up the heavens
and three times brought down fire.
How awesome are you, Elijah, in your wondrous deeds!
Whose glory is equal to yours?
You were taken aloft in a whirlwind of fire,
in a chariot with fiery horses.
You were destined, it is written, in time to come
to put an end to wrath before the day of the Lord,
To turn back the hearts of fathers toward their sons,
and to re-establish the tribes of Jacob.
Blessed is he who shall have seen you
and who falls asleep in your friendship.

— The word of the Lord.

Responsorial Psalm

Psalm 80: 2ac and 3b, 15-16, 18-19

Lord, make us turn to you; let us see your face and we shall be saved.

O shepherd of Israel, hearken,
From your throne upon the cherubim, shine forth.
Rouse your power.

Once again, O Lord of hosts,
look down from heaven, and see;
Take care of this vine,
and protect what your right hand has planted
the son of man whom you yourself made strong.

May your help be with the man of your right hand,
with the son of man whom you yourself made strong.
Then we will no more withdraw from you;
give us new life, and we will call upon your name.

Gospel

Alleluia, alleluia.

Prepare the way of the Lord, make straight his paths: All flesh shall see the salvation of God.

Alleluia.

Gospel of Jesus Christ according to Saint Matthew (Mt 17: 9a, 10-13)

Elijah has already come, and they did not recognize him.

As they were coming down from the mountain,
the disciples asked Jesus,

“Why do the scribes say that Elijah must come first?”

He said in reply,

“Elijah will indeed come and restore all things;
but I tell you that Elijah has already come,
and they did not recognize him but did to him whatever they pleased. 
So also will the Son of Man suffer at their hands.”

Then the disciples understood
that he was speaking to them of John the Baptist.

— Gospel of the Lord.

For a genuine and authentic transformation

“Let your love be without hypocrisy. Abhor what is evil; cling to what is good” (Romans 12:9). Message from the Episcopal Conference of Madagascar to the Catholic faithful, to the leaders and officials of the nation, to young Malagasy people without distinction, to all our compatriots, and to all people of good will.

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Love and Salvation

Christmas is a great joy, because it is the love of God that has come to us, proclaims Fr. Bizimana Innocent, Provincial Superior of the Salesians Don Bosco of Madagascar and Mauritius, presenting his Christmas greetings. Salvation is accomplished, so life is not in danger of disappearing. It is this love and this salvation that we wish to fill our life so that we have peace.

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Zatti, our brother

The short film "Zatti, our brother" (Argentina, 2020) focuses on one of the most difficult episodes of his life. We are in Viedma, in 1941: at the age of 60, Zatti is forced to leave the hospital he has attended for decades. His faith and strength are tested.

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