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 should be watchful. 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. It may be different this year because of the pandemic, but usually, 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.
They say Christmas this year will be very different. Probably yes with the pandemic. It may be different from what we know and are used to. But it may be for the better. The first Christmas was simple but happy and meaningful. We may not have gatherings and parties. We may not have gifts and travels. But we should make the most out of this time. Time with family. Time with important people. Most importantly, time with God. Let us make this extra meaningful with grateful hearts.
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-
November 29, 2020
1st Sunday of Advent; Blessed Francis Anthony of Lucera
FIRST READING
You, LORD, are our father, our redeemer you are named forever. Why do you let us wander, O LORD, from your ways, and harden our hearts so that we fear you not? Return for the sake of your servants, the tribes of your heritage. Oh, that you would rend the heavens and come down, with the mountains quaking before you, while you wrought awesome deeds we could not hope for, such as they had not heard of from of old. No ear has ever heard, no eye ever seen, any God but you doing such deeds for those who wait for him. Would that you might meet us doing right, that we were mindful of you in our ways! Behold, you are angry, and we are sinful; all of us have become like unclean people, all our good deeds are like polluted rags; we have all withered like leaves, and our guilt carries us away like the wind. There is none who calls upon your name, who rouses himself to cling to you; for you have hidden your face from us and have delivered us up to our guilt. Yet, O LORD, you are our father; we are the clay and you the potter: we are all the work of your hands.
RESPONSORIAL PSALM
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.
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.
SECOND READING
Brothers and sisters: Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
I give thanks to my God always on your account for the grace of God bestowed on you in Christ Jesus, that in him you were enriched in every way, with all discourse and all knowledge, as the testimony to Christ was confirmed among you, so that you are not lacking in any spiritual gift as you wait for the revelation of our Lord Jesus Christ. He will keep you firm to the end, irreproachable on the day of our Lord Jesus Christ. God is faithful, and by him you were called to fellowship with his Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.
I give thanks to my God always on your account for the grace of God bestowed on you in Christ Jesus, that in him you were enriched in every way, with all discourse and all knowledge, as the testimony to Christ was confirmed among you, so that you are not lacking in any spiritual gift as you wait for the revelation of our Lord Jesus Christ. He will keep you firm to the end, irreproachable on the day of our Lord Jesus Christ. God is faithful, and by him you were called to fellowship with his Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.
ALLELUIA
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
Jesus said to his disciples: “Be watchful! Be alert! You do not know when the time will come. It is like a man traveling abroad. He leaves home and places his servants in charge, each with his own work, and orders the gatekeeper to be on the watch. Watch, therefore; you do not know when the lord of the house is coming, whether in the evening, or at midnight, or at cockcrow, or in the morning. May he not come suddenly and find you sleeping. What I say to you, I say to all: ‘Watch!’”
True.
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