Be Watchful! (1ST SUNDAY OF ADVENT - B)

December 03, 2023 - SUNDAY
First Sunday of Advent (Violet)
Lectionary: 2
START OF THE NEW LITURGICAL CALENDAR YEAR: CYCLE B - YEAR II

Reading 1
IS 63:16B-17, 19B; 64:2-7

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
PS 80:2-3, 15-16, 18-19

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.
 
 

Reading II
1 COR 1:3-9

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.

Alleluia
PS 85:8

R. Alleluia, alleluia.

Show us Lord, your love;
and grant us your salvation.

R. Alleluia, alleluia.

Gospel
MK 13:33-37

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!’”

REFLECTION:

Advent begins today. We spend this time preparing for the coming of Christ into our world. He is here already, of course, but he wants to come closer. Let me be one of his points of entry by keeping awake to open the door when he knocks.

The gospel highlights that we can miss the master of then house because we do not know when he is coming. We know when the ‘master of the house’ is coming and still we can miss him! Christmas can pass by many of us and we have little time for the main event and people of the mystery. Or we can hit it in spots. Christmas itself is so busy and often with very worthwhile events for the family. So the four weeks we begin today can ensure we don’t miss it.

We are all ’the work of your hand’ as the first reading ( Isaiah 63:16-17; 64:1. 3) reminds us. God is all the time at work, creating us. It’s not that he made us, and then left us. It’s not love at a distance. God is present within us and without. Christmas will be the time of recalling this.

This presence is a joy for all people, not just for Jesus’ own family, the Jewish people. The coming of Jesus reminds us of this universal love, for those within our circle and those of other races, colours and opinions.

It is a time of thanks, as in the second reading (Corinthians 1:3-9): ‘thanking God for all the graces you have received through Jesus Christ’. As we watch and wait for Christmas, we can make a prayer of thanks to God each day, for our faith and for the love we find and give in life.

PRAYER:

Help me Lord, to notice you in all the love and faith in my life. 

The Son of Man Will Come (FIRST SUNDAY OF ADVENT - YEAR A)

NOVEMBER 27, 2022, SUNDAY
FIRST SUNDAY OF ADVENT (VIOLET)
NEW LITURGICAL CALENDAR YEAR: CYCLE A - YEAR I
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!

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.

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.

Alleluia
Cf. Ps 85:8

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."

GOSPEL REFLECTION:

As we begin our new church year in Advent we are reminded of our main purpose in life – to be ready and looking forward to our eventual home with the Lord. This call can come suddenly upon us. But the Lord wishes us to be his friend when he calls us and offers this friendship to us throughout our lives.

Develop your own personal friendship with the Lord – as you are now doing while you spend this time in prayer.

PRAYER:

Teach me, Lord, to recognize your face wherever I encounter you.

Be Watchful! (FIRST SUNDAY OF ADVENT - YEAR C)

NOVEMBER 28, 2021, SUNDAY
First Sunday of Advent (Violet)
FIRST DAY OF THE NEW LITURGICAL CALENDAR YEAR:
CYCLE C - YEAR II
Lectionary: 3

Reading I
Jer 33:14-16

The days are coming, says the LORD, 

    when I will fulfill the promise 

    I made to the house of Israel and Judah.

In those days, in that time, 

    I will raise up for David a just shoot ; 

    he shall do what is right and just in the land.

In those days Judah shall be safe 

    and Jerusalem shall dwell secure; 

    this is what they shall call her: 

    “The LORD our justice.”

Responsorial Psalm
Ps 25:4-5, 8-9, 10, 14

R. (1b)  To you, O Lord, I lift my soul.

Your ways, O LORD, make known to me;

   teach me your paths,

Guide me in your truth and teach me,

   for you are God my savior,

   and for you I wait all the day. 

R. To you, O Lord, I lift my soul.

Good and upright is the LORD;

   thus he shows sinners the way.

He guides the humble to justice,

   and teaches the humble his way. 

R. To you, O Lord, I lift my soul.

All the paths of the LORD are kindness and constancy

   toward those who keep his covenant and his decrees.

The friendship of the LORD is with those who fear him,

   and his covenant, for their instruction. 

R. To you, O Lord, I lift my soul.

Reading II
1 Thes 3:12—4:2

Brothers and sisters:

May the Lord make you increase and abound in love

for one another and for all,

just as we have for you, 

so as to strengthen your hearts, 

to be blameless in holiness before our God and Father 

at the coming of our Lord Jesus with all his holy ones.  Amen.

Finally, brothers and sisters, 

we earnestly ask and exhort you in the Lord Jesus that,

as you received from us 

how you should conduct yourselves to please God

and as you are conducting yourselves

you do so even more.

For you know what instructions we gave you through the Lord Jesus.

Alleluia
Ps 85:8

R. Alleluia, alleluia.

Show us, Lord, your love;

and grant us your salvation.

R. Alleluia, alleluia.

Gospel
Lk 21:25-28, 34-36

Jesus said to his disciples:

“There will be signs in the sun, the moon, and the stars, 

and on earth nations will be in dismay, 

perplexed by the roaring of the sea and the waves.

People will die of fright 

in anticipation of what is coming upon the world, 

for the powers of the heavens will be shaken.

And then they will see the Son of Man 

coming in a cloud with power and great glory.

But when these signs begin to happen, 

stand erect and raise your heads 

because your redemption is at hand.

“Beware that your hearts do not become drowsy 

from carousing and drunkenness 

and the anxieties of daily life, 

and that day catch you by surprise like a trap.

For that day will assault everyone

who lives on the face of the earth.

Be vigilant at all times 

and pray that you have the strength 

to escape the tribulations that are imminent 

and to stand before the Son of Man.”

REFLECTION:

Advent is a season of hope and expectation. We are invited to prepare joyfully for the coming of Christ. He comes in history (his conception and birth), in mystery (through the sacraments, and especially the Eucharist), and in majesty (at the Last Day). In the first weeks of Advent the stress is on this third coming in majesty. Hence today's gospel which we have already prayed with in recent days. The old liturgical year ended, and the new one has begun, with our calling to mind the Lord's final coming at the end of time. We look forward to it with happy anticipation, not with fear.

How do the three comings of Christ impinge on my life? Do I want to deepen my awareness of them as I move through Advent? How firm is my hope?

PRAYER:

Lord, may your coming be a glorious and redemptive event. May I so live that, in the words of the hymn, “when you come, with shout of acclamation and take me home, what joy shall fill my heart!”