Second Sunday of Advent

Year of Saint Joseph

Year of the Family "Amoris Laetitia The Joy of Love"

In other years: Saint John Almond (c,1565-1612; Saint Birinus (7th century); Saint Hedda (-7050; Blessed Bartholomew Fanit (c.1428-1495)

Readings of the Day

RB: Ch 53:16-23 The Reception of Guests

Mass: Baruch 5:1-9; Resp Ps 126; Ph 1:4-6, 8-11; Lk 3:1-6

The Lord has done great things for us.

HEART OF JESUS, THE WAY, THE TRUTH, AND THE LIFE,

HAVE MERCY ON US.

Welcome to the Second Week of Advent, this holy "period of devout and expectant delight". Last Sunday we were talking about removing things that burden us, things that make us drowsy. We are meant during this time to stand tall and be alert so that we are clear in mind and heart to remember the birth of Jesus, and to look forward to His Second Coming. How did your week go? No matter, we can always begin again as we hear from John the Baptist in today's Gospel. He is the voice crying out in the desert: "Prepare the way of the Lord, make straight his paths." (Lk 3:4). So why not listen to Servant of God Catherine de Hueck Doherty: "Let every day be the day of beginning again, of loving Christ a little more, of hungering for him a little more, of turning our face to him. To accomplish this, all we need to do is to look at the person next to us. We must never forget that we shall be judged on love alone. And that there is only one way to love God and "prove it" to him: by loving our "neighbor," the person next to us at any given moment." Catherine's words are fitting too for Saint Benedict's Chapter 53 on the Reception of Guests. Our holy father Benedict begins in this way: "All guests themselves are to be welcomed as Christ, for he himself will say: I was a stranger and you welcomed me (Mt 25:35). Proper honor must be shown to all, especially to those who share our faith, and to pilgrims" (RB 53:1-2). We don't have to wait for guests either, or look outside our homes, communities, places of work, or even very far, for the guest is the person next to us at any given moment. 

SAINT JOHN ALMOND,

SAINT BIRINIUS,

SAINT HEDDA,

BLESSED BARTHOLOMEW FANIT,

SAINT JOSEPH,

PRAY FOR US.

Today's photo: Our Advent Wreath, lit for the Second Week of this holy season.

© Gertrude Feick 2021