The WORD today (see http://www.usccb.org/bible/readings/122318.cfm)
reminds me that I
should continue to prepare for Christmas.
For
weeks, we have been preparing for Christmas, and how fast time flies, we are
now on the last Sunday before Christmas, we are now on the the fourth Sunday of
advent. God has been telling us how we can prepare and that we should serve and
proclaim him in this world. now the question is, how are we responding to his
messages?
The
gospel story is a familiar one. We also see the effect of what having a
relationship with God would bring. We see the effect of preparing our hearts.
Mama Mary was told what was about to happen. What God wanted to happen. Of
course she had a lot of questions, but she remained firm in faith. She still
said yes and submitted to God's will. And after, she visited her pregnant
cousin and served her. We see how her mere presence brings God to others. This
is what we should aim as well - to bring God to others with our presence.
We should continue to prepare for God, so we can have
faith and relationship to God as Mama Mary. We should prepare and work on our
relationship with God not just for Christmas, but always. We should always
declare God through our life. By our words. By our actions.
Do I respond positively to God’s message? Do I put things
in the proper perspective? Am I making him the center of the celebration, the
reason for the season? OR am I still busy buying and wrapping gifts, preparing
for parties and get together, being annoyed by the traffic, that I forget the
reason why we are celebrating Christmas in the first place? How can I prepare
more for Christmas?
May we be wiling to let God enter our lives, and prepare
for Him as we commemorate his birth, and for always after it.
Father God,
Thank you for today. Thank you for another day to live.
Thank you for another Sunday. Thank you for the reminder. thank you for knowing
me, for reaching out to me, for giving me a long time to prepare, for you know
it will take time. Lord, sorry for not doing my best to prepare. Sorry for
being busy and distracted. Sorry for not making this about you. help me make
the most out of the preparation time you are giving me, and help me make this
season a really meaningful one. May I continue to prepare and may I continue to
let you into my life and work on my relationship with you. Amen.
Blessed Sunday!
In Christ,
-g-
December 23, 2018
Fourth Sunday of Advent
Lectionary: 12
Lectionary: 12
Reading
1 MI 5:1-4A
Thus
says the LORD:
You, Bethlehem-Ephrathah
too small to be among the clans of Judah,
from you shall come forth for me
one who is to be ruler in Israel;
whose origin is from of old,
from ancient times.
Therefore the Lord will give them up, until the time
when she who is to give birth has borne,
and the rest of his kindred shall return
to the children of Israel.
He shall stand firm and shepherd his flock
by the strength of the LORD,
in the majestic name of the LORD, his God;
and they shall remain, for now his greatness
shall reach to the ends of the earth;
he shall be peace.
You, Bethlehem-Ephrathah
too small to be among the clans of Judah,
from you shall come forth for me
one who is to be ruler in Israel;
whose origin is from of old,
from ancient times.
Therefore the Lord will give them up, until the time
when she who is to give birth has borne,
and the rest of his kindred shall return
to the children of Israel.
He shall stand firm and shepherd his flock
by the strength of the LORD,
in the majestic name of the LORD, his God;
and they shall remain, for now his greatness
shall reach to the ends of the earth;
he shall be peace.
R.
(4) 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,
and come to save us.
R. Lord, make us turn to you; let us see your face and we shall be saved.
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.
R. Lord, make us turn to you; let us see your face and we shall be saved.
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.
R. 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,
and come to save us.
R. Lord, make us turn to you; let us see your face and we shall be saved.
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.
R. Lord, make us turn to you; let us see your face and we shall be saved.
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.
R. Lord, make us turn to you; let us see your face and we shall be saved.
Reading
2 HEB 10:5-10
Brothers
and sisters:
When Christ came into the world, he said:
"Sacrifice and offering you did not desire,
but a body you prepared for me;
in holocausts and sin offerings you took no delight.
Then I said, 'As is written of me in the scroll,
behold, I come to do your will, O God.'"
First he says, "Sacrifices and offerings,
holocausts and sin offerings,
you neither desired nor delighted in."
These are offered according to the law.
Then he says, :Behold, I come to do your will."
He takes away the first to establish the second.
By this "will," we have been consecrated
through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.
When Christ came into the world, he said:
"Sacrifice and offering you did not desire,
but a body you prepared for me;
in holocausts and sin offerings you took no delight.
Then I said, 'As is written of me in the scroll,
behold, I come to do your will, O God.'"
First he says, "Sacrifices and offerings,
holocausts and sin offerings,
you neither desired nor delighted in."
These are offered according to the law.
Then he says, :Behold, I come to do your will."
He takes away the first to establish the second.
By this "will," we have been consecrated
through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.
Alleluia LK
1:38
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord.
May it be done to me according to your word.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord.
May it be done to me according to your word.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Gospel LK
1:39-45
Mary
set out
and traveled to the hill country in haste
to a town of Judah,
where she entered the house of Zechariah
and greeted Elizabeth.
When Elizabeth heard Mary's greeting,
the infant leaped in her womb,
and Elizabeth, filled with the Holy Spirit,
cried out in a loud voice and said,
"Blessed are you among women,
and blessed is the fruit of your womb.
And how does this happen to me,
that the mother of my Lord should come to me?
For at the moment the sound of your greeting reached my ears,
the infant in my womb leaped for joy.
Blessed are you who believed
that what was spoken to you by the Lord
would be fulfilled."
and traveled to the hill country in haste
to a town of Judah,
where she entered the house of Zechariah
and greeted Elizabeth.
When Elizabeth heard Mary's greeting,
the infant leaped in her womb,
and Elizabeth, filled with the Holy Spirit,
cried out in a loud voice and said,
"Blessed are you among women,
and blessed is the fruit of your womb.
And how does this happen to me,
that the mother of my Lord should come to me?
For at the moment the sound of your greeting reached my ears,
the infant in my womb leaped for joy.
Blessed are you who believed
that what was spoken to you by the Lord
would be fulfilled."
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