The
WORD today reminds me that
we should be ready and prepared for God's coming.
The readings for the past few
days have been talking about the judgment, about Christ’s second coming. Today,
we are again reminded to be ready and prepared - not just for the second coming
that we do not know when will come, but also for something we know when –
Christmas. As we usher in the happiest season of the year, as we usher in
advent, and as we read the gospel, we are reminded to prepare and be ready - to
meet God and to commemorate Christ’s birth.
The gospel reminds us to be
prepared, for we do not know when Christ will come again. We do not know when
we will die. We do not know when we will be judged. As he said in the gospel,
he will come when we least expect it, when we are busy living our lives, when
things are normal. This is why we should always be prepared. And as a reminder
and opportunity, we can start preparing for this season.
We should
prepare our hearts for Christmas
We now officially start
the advent season, and this first Sunday of advent should set us in the mood
not of Christmas as the world sees – with all the lights, parties, gifts
and food, but to prepare our hearts for Christ’s coming that we commemorate on
Christmas day.
Some say that this season,
Christmas season, is not just happy, but a very busy, and sometimes can be
stressful. There are a lot of things going on – from the yearend reports and
quotas, the get together and parties, relatives and friends coming home to and
from the province or abroad, the bazaars and gift shopping, and of course, the
extra special traffic we expect even during the wee hours of the morning. Yes,
it can be stressful. It can be busy. And unfortunately sometimes with all of
these, we forget the reason for the season. We forget what Christmas is all
about.
Christmas
is about Christ. It is about God's love for us made concrete through
Jesus.
Looking at our lives and at our
hearts, a lot of us can say that we are not ready to welcome Jesus. We are not
yet prepared. There are a lot of issues, concerns and even sins that make our
hearts unworthy of God’s visitation. There are a lot of things going on in our
lives. Good thing we have 4 weeks to prepare. We have 4 weeks to clean our
hearts. We have 4 weeks to remember him and focus on him. We are reminded to
hear mass more often, to partake of the sacraments, to pray more, read the
bible more, and to love others more as we prepare our hearts for Christ. For we
might miss this opportunity to prepare not just for Christmas, but for Christ’s
coming.
How do I feel about Christ’s
second coming? What is the essence of Christmas for me? How do I feel about
Christmas? Am I ready for Christmas and his second coming? What can I do to
prepare myself for him?
May we take this opportunity
and make the most out of the time we have to prepare for Christ’s visitation,
so that when he comes, we will be ready.
Father God,
Thank you
for today. Thank you for another day to live. Thank you for another chance to
experience your love. Thank you for another Sunday. Thank you for the reminder.
Lord, sorry for forgetting you. Sorry for being distracted. Help me do it right
this hear. Lord, my heart is not clean. I am not ready for you. There are a lot
of things distracting me. There are a lot of things on my mind. I have a lot of
excuses. But i will do my best to prepare for you in this season of advent. Be
with me in this journey. May this be a special one, a memorable one. May I get
to know you more and experience you more as I prepare. May this be about you.
Only you. Amen.
Blessed
Sunday and Advent Season!
In
Christ,
-g-
December 1 2019
« November 30 | December 2 »
First
Sunday of Advent
Lectionary: 1
Reading 1 IS 2:1-5
This
is what Isaiah, son of Amoz,
saw concerning Judah and Jerusalem.
In days to come,
the mountain of the LORD's house
shall be established as the highest mountain
and raised above the hills.
All nations shall stream toward it;
many peoples shall come and say:
"Come, let us climb the LORD's mountain,
to the house of the God of Jacob,
that he may instruct us in his ways,
and we may walk in his paths."
For from Zion shall go forth instruction,
and the word of the LORD from Jerusalem.
He shall judge between the nations,
and impose terms on many peoples.
They shall beat their swords into plowshares
and their spears into pruning hooks;
one nation shall not raise the sword against another,
nor shall they train for war again.
O house of Jacob, come,
let us walk in the light of the Lord!
saw concerning Judah and Jerusalem.
In days to come,
the mountain of the LORD's house
shall be established as the highest mountain
and raised above the hills.
All nations shall stream toward it;
many peoples shall come and say:
"Come, let us climb the LORD's mountain,
to the house of the God of Jacob,
that he may instruct us in his ways,
and we may walk in his paths."
For from Zion shall go forth instruction,
and the word of the LORD from Jerusalem.
He shall judge between the nations,
and impose terms on many peoples.
They shall beat their swords into plowshares
and their spears into pruning hooks;
one nation shall not raise the sword against another,
nor shall they train for war again.
O house of Jacob, come,
let us walk in the light of the Lord!
Responsorial Psalm PS 122: 1-2, 3-4, 4-5, 6-7, 8-9
R. Let us go rejoicing to the
house of the Lord.
I rejoiced because they said to me,
"We will go up to the house of the LORD."
And now we have set foot
within your gates, O Jerusalem.
R. Let us go rejoicing to the house of the Lord.
Jerusalem, built as a city
with compact unity.
To it the tribes go up,
the tribes of the LORD.
R. Let us go rejoicing to the house of the Lord.
According to the decree for Israel,
to give thanks to the name of the LORD.
In it are set up judgment seats,
seats for the house of David.
R. Let us go rejoicing to the house of the Lord.
Pray for the peace of Jerusalem!
May those who love you prosper!
May peace be within your walls,
prosperity in your buildings.
R. Let us go rejoicing to the house of the Lord.
Because of my brothers and friends
I will say, "Peace be within you!"
Because of the house of the LORD, our God,
I will pray for your good.
R. Let us go rejoicing to the house of the Lord.
I rejoiced because they said to me,
"We will go up to the house of the LORD."
And now we have set foot
within your gates, O Jerusalem.
R. Let us go rejoicing to the house of the Lord.
Jerusalem, built as a city
with compact unity.
To it the tribes go up,
the tribes of the LORD.
R. Let us go rejoicing to the house of the Lord.
According to the decree for Israel,
to give thanks to the name of the LORD.
In it are set up judgment seats,
seats for the house of David.
R. Let us go rejoicing to the house of the Lord.
Pray for the peace of Jerusalem!
May those who love you prosper!
May peace be within your walls,
prosperity in your buildings.
R. Let us go rejoicing to the house of the Lord.
Because of my brothers and friends
I will say, "Peace be within you!"
Because of the house of the LORD, our God,
I will pray for your good.
R. Let us go rejoicing to the house of the Lord.
Reading 2 ROM 13:11-14
Brothers
and sisters:
You know the time;
it is the hour now for you to awake from sleep.
For our salvation is nearer now than when we first believed;
the night is advanced, the day is at hand.
Let us then throw off the works of darkness
and put on the armor of light;
let us conduct ourselves properly as in the day,
not in orgies and drunkenness,
not in promiscuity and lust,
not in rivalry and jealousy.
But put on the Lord Jesus Christ,
and make no provision for the desires of the flesh.
You know the time;
it is the hour now for you to awake from sleep.
For our salvation is nearer now than when we first believed;
the night is advanced, the day is at hand.
Let us then throw off the works of darkness
and put on the armor of light;
let us conduct ourselves properly as in the day,
not in orgies and drunkenness,
not in promiscuity and lust,
not in rivalry and jealousy.
But put on the Lord Jesus Christ,
and make no provision for the desires of the flesh.
Alleluia CF. PS 85:8
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Show us Lord, your love;
and grant us your salvation.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Show us Lord, your love;
and grant us your salvation.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Gospel MT 24:37-44
Jesus
said to his disciples:
"As it was in the days of Noah,
so it will be at the coming of the Son of Man.
In those days before the flood,
they were eating and drinking,
marrying and giving in marriage,
up to the day that Noah entered the ark.
They did not know until the flood came and carried them all away.
So will it be also at the coming of the Son of Man.
Two men will be out in the field;
one will be taken, and one will be left.
Two women will be grinding at the mill;
one will be taken, and one will be left.
Therefore, stay awake!
For you do not know on which day your Lord will come.
Be sure of this: if the master of the house
had known the hour of night when the thief was coming,
he would have stayed awake
and not let his house be broken into.
So too, you also must be prepared,
for at an hour you do not expect, the Son of Man will come."
"As it was in the days of Noah,
so it will be at the coming of the Son of Man.
In those days before the flood,
they were eating and drinking,
marrying and giving in marriage,
up to the day that Noah entered the ark.
They did not know until the flood came and carried them all away.
So will it be also at the coming of the Son of Man.
Two men will be out in the field;
one will be taken, and one will be left.
Two women will be grinding at the mill;
one will be taken, and one will be left.
Therefore, stay awake!
For you do not know on which day your Lord will come.
Be sure of this: if the master of the house
had known the hour of night when the thief was coming,
he would have stayed awake
and not let his house be broken into.
So too, you also must be prepared,
for at an hour you do not expect, the Son of Man will come."
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