In other years: Bd Bernard Francis de Hoyos (1711-1735); Saint Saturninus of Toulouse, Bishop and Martyr (?Third Century); Saint Saturninus (c.308); Saint Radbod, Bishop (c.850-917); BB George Errington, William Gibson, and William Knight, Martyrs (1596); BB Dionysius and Redemptus, Martyrs (1638); Saint Francis of Lucera (1681-1742)
Readings of the Day
RB: Ch 48:22-25
Mass: Is 63:16b-17, 19b; 64:2-7; Resp Ps 80; 1 Cor 1:3-9; Mk 13:33-37
Lord, make us turn to you; let us see your face and we shall be saved.
Welcome to a new liturgical year and the holy season of Advent. "Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ" (1 Cor 1:3). To help us enter into the spirit of Advent, it doesn't hurt to remind ourselves what this holy season is all about. We turn to the Universal Norms on the Liturgical Year: "Advent has a twofold character, for it is a time of preparation for the Solemnities of Christmas, in which the First Coming of the Son of God to humanity is remembered, and likewise a time when, by remembrance of this, minds and hearts are led to look forward to Christ's Second Coming at the end of time. For these two reasons, Advent is a period of devout and expectant delight" (39).
How will you spend these days and weeks of devout and expectant delight in order to prepare for the Solemnities of Christmas and look forward to Christ's Second Coming? One way is heed the words of Jesus in today's Gospel: Be watchful! Be alert! (Mk 13:33). This is not the time for our hearts to become drowsy (Lk 21:34), or to settle for mediocrity or the least common denominator. Not doing so, though, takes vigilance over our minds and hearts so that we don't lose focus and err in our ways. With the Prophet Isaiah, we ask the Lord, "Why do you let us wander, O Lord, from your ways, and harden our hearts so that we fear you not?" (Is 63:17). We must remain alert and vigilant, or as the Holy Father said in today's homily: "It is important to remain watchful, because one great mistake in life is to get absorbed in a thousand things and not to notice God ... we get drawn by our own interests, and distracted by so many vain things, we risk losing sight of what is essential."
Advent is a season of prayer. We remember that Jesus is with us, living at our sides every day to enlighten, strengthen and free us. We pray that Jesus remove any obstacles that keep us from noticing Him, from recognizing His presence in the here and now. One way to not lose sight of what is essential is to reflect, and perhaps record, at the end of each day, at least one way during the day you were aware of Jesus' presence. This is a way also to look forward to His Second Coming. Help us, Lord, to keep focused and "seek the things that are above" (Col 3:1) during these holy days. Be comforted by the words of Saint Paul: Jesus Christ "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" (1 Cor 3:9). Amen.
HEART OF JESUS,
FORMED BY THE HOLY SPIRIT IN THE WOMB OF THE VIRGIN MOTHER,
HAVE MERCY ON US.
© Gertrude Feick
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