Tag Archive for ‘Advent’
The Word is Alive!
The season of Advent begins in the last week of November. As we journey deeper into Advent two persons more and more take over centre stage, Mary the Mother of Jesus, and his cousin John. In Western Christianity John is known as the Baptist; in the Orthodox tradition John is known as the Forerunner. This […]
Sunday 19 December
4th Sunday of Advent Micah 5:1-4; Psalm 80:2-3, 15-16, 18-19; Hebrews 10:5-10; Luke 1:39-44 Blessed are you among women Elizabeth is not the first person to pronounce this particular blessing. Israelites prayed it over Jael in the time of the Judges. Joakim prayed it over Judith when Assyria was the dominant Middle Eastern power. Both […]
Sunday 12 December
3rd Sunday of Advent Zephaniah 3:14-18; Response, Isaiah12:2-6; Philippians 4:4-7; Luke 3:10-18 What shall we do? In blunt and telling words John accused his listeners of slackness. They had failed to live up to the demands of the Jewish Law. He responded to their question by instructing them to be just and merciful. His message […]
Sunday 5 December
2nd Sunday of Advent Baruch 5:1-9; Psalm 126; Philippians 1:3-6, 8-11; Luke 3:1-6 Repent! Repent. That is, change your mind, change your heart, change your attitudes and, if need be, change your lifestyle. This was John’s message. It was the Christ’s and it was St Paul’s. Lent and Advent are seasons calling us to repent. […]
Wednesday 1 December
1st Week of Advent Isaiah 25:6-10; Psalm 23; Matthew 15:29-37 Signs and Wonders About a quarter of the verses in the four Gospels are devoted to the Lord’s healing ministry. And Jesus still heals today. He heals us through the Sacraments, through Sacred Scripture, and in many other ways. Crowds followed Jesus in the days […]
Sunday 28 November
1ST Sunday of Advent Jeremiah 33:14-16; Psalm 25:4-5, 8-9, 10, 14; 1 Thessalonians 3:12-4:2; Luke 21:25-28, 34-36 Liberation is at hand What wonderful promises for the future – God will fulfil his promise to save Israel; we have the teaching of Jesus to help us grow in love and to live the type of life […]
Sunday 20 December
4th Sunday of Advent 2 Samuel 7:1-5, 8-12, 14, 16; Psalm 89; Romans 16:25-27; Luke 1:26-38 Advent with Mary Today we remember Mary’s advent: the message of the angel followed by nine months of waiting for her child to be born. We have only five days to finalise our preparations for Christmas. Could we spend […]
Sunday 13 December
3rd Sunday of Advent Isaiah 61:1-2, 10-11; Response Luke 1:46-54; 1 Thessalonians 5:16-24; John 1:6-8, 19-28 Make straight his paths Today’s readings once again invite us to get ready for the arrival of Emmanuel, God-with-us. The prophets, Mary, and John the Baptist all looked forward to the coming of the Messiah. Advent reminds us that […]
Sunday 6 December
2nd Sunday of Advent Isaiah 40:1-5, 9-11; Psalm 85; 2 Peter 3:8-14; Mark 1:1-8 Prepare the way of the Lord As we move into this beautiful Advent time both Isaiah and John the Baptiser invite us to prepare for the coming of the Lord. Christmas is coming! So much to do! But there is a […]
Tuesday 1 December
1st week of Advent Isaiah 11:1-10; Psalm 72; Luke 10:21-24 God reigns among us Isaiah gives us a wonderful image of the Kingdom, the Reign of God, which is present here and now when we forgive, share, console and support one another, when colour, race, prejudice or language or even deep hurts we may have […]
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