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Advent |
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Hope. Redemption. |
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“Advent” comes from the Latin word for
"arrival" or "coming" and is a period of
preparation for the birth of our Lord. It
begins four Sundays before Christmas and
signals the start of the Christmas season,
which, for Catholics, lasts through the
Baptism of Our Lord.
Advent is a time of joyous anticipation, but
also of penance and preparation for the great
Christmas feast. The liturgical color of the
season is purple, a sign of penance, which is
also used during Lent. The Church discourages
excessive ornamentation, boisterous music and
even weddings during Advent, in order to
foster a sense of quiet hope.
The first Sunday of Advent also marks the
beginning of the liturgical year, the Church's
"New Year's Day," |
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at
which time we change the cycle of readings we are
using at Mass.
The Advent Wreath originated from a pre-Christian
tradition of Germany and Scandinavia where the
people gathered to celebrate the return of the sun
after the winter solstice. The circular wreath
made of evergreens interspersed with four candles
represented the circle of the year and the life
that endures through the winter. As the days grew
longer, people lit candles to offer thanks to the
"sun god" for the light.
For Catholics the wreath represents God's
eternity. The purple candles symbolize faithful
expectation, joy and hope. In earlier times the
season of Advent had stronger penitential and
ascetic aspects, and a relaxation of disciplines
was offered on the third Sunday of Advent, also
called Gaudete Sunday, from the Latin for
"rejoice", the first words of the Introit.
The first candle is often called the prophet's
candle, and is meant to signify the hope of Jesus'
arrival. The second is generally called the
Bethlehem candle, reminding Christians that God
appeared to them in a humble manner; Bethlehem was
located in the territory of one of the least
powerful tribes of Israel. The third candle is the
shepherds' candle, representing the joy that more
than half of Advent is over. The final candle is
the angels' candle, symbolizing their peace and
the message of good news that they offer.
On the first Sunday of Advent, the wreath is
sprinkled with holy water and blessed before
lighting the first purple candle. |
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This week's Readings:
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This is from the
St. Vincent de Paul website, on the Gospel
of
Mt 24:37-44, for
The First Sunday of
Advent |
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Reflection:
Always at the beginning of Advent the Church
invites us to think ahead. The gospel contains a
clear warning and a judgment, admonishing us to
“stay awake.” Instead of leading us to
hopelessness and paralyzing fear, the gospel
surprises us with an opportunity to be prepared.
Instead of floundering, we have our whole lifetime
and the guidance of the priceless gift of the Good
News of Jesus Christ to accompany us on our
journey into the future. This is what God offer us
so we will not be left.
(Living Liturgy, p. 2)
Vincentian Meditation:
There is an Advent spirit in the heart of every
human person. It is one of longing, of yearning
for a fulfillment that somehow lies beyond
ourselves. It flows from our deeply rooted human
incompleteness. Augustine uttered the classic
description of this spirit: “You made us for
yourself, O Lord, and our hearts are restless
until they rest in you.” All of us long for
something more, as we make our pilgrim way. Even
when human sinfulness pulls people to focus on
power, pleasure, fame, or financial prosperity,
they often find themselves moving aimlessly,
without fulfillment. “Our hearts are restless
until they rest in you.”Advent celebrates human
yearning. We long for the coming of the Lord.
(Robert P. Maloney, Seasons in Spirituality: Reflections on Vincentian Spirituality in Today's World , p.45)
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The Sunday Readings |
December 2,
2007:
The
First Sunday of Advent
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First Reading From
the Book of Isaiah: |
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Is 2:1-5 |
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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! |
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Responsorial From the Book of Psalms:
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Ps 122: 1-2, 3-4,
4-5, 6-7, 8-9 |
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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. |
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Second Reading from the Letter to
Romans |
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Rom 13:11-14 |
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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. |
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Reading From
the Gospel of Luke:
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Mt 24:37-44 |
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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.”
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References |
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Straight Answers, Answers to 100 Questions about
the Catholic Faith by Ph.D Rev. William P.
Saunders (Author)
Review by:
Reverend William G. Curlin Bishop of Charlotte
Straight Answers offers Catholics a simple and
direct response to the many questions concerning
the Catholic Church. It spells out profound
truths in very |
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simple language for all who seek a better
understanding of their Faith. I highly recommend
it for Catholics, both young and old. |
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The Power of Intention: Learning to Co-create Your World Your Way
From Amazon:
After years of spiritual study and reflection,
inspirational speaker and |
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bestselling
author Wayne Dyer has emerged a highly esteemed
teacher. His current message about tapping into
the power of intention may sound like good old
positive thinking: just stay focused on what you
want, rather than focusing on the lack of having
what you want. But the teaching here goes deeper
than just controlling thoughts (although he does
acknowledge that thought control is a
surprisingly challenging and significant
endeavor).
This book might
help readers land a better job, but it's more
relevant for those who are ready to detach from
an ego-driven life filled with quick fixes of
happiness and step into a more authentic,
joyful, and spiritually fulfilling life. His
core teachings speak to tapping into a universal
source of energy that can also be called the
"power of intention." |
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The Chariot of Israel: Exploits of the Prophet of Elijah
THE CHARIOT OF ISRAEL: When Elijah was caught up
to heaven, his disciple Elisha cried out, "the
chariot of Israel, and its horsemen." Elisha was
referring not to the chariot but to the prophet.
This study of Elijah’s life will captivate you
as it walks you through a pivotal period in
Israel’s history, and illustrative maps will
give you a better picture of the physical
geography of this ancient land. |
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Read more about the Liturgical Year |
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The Origins of the Liturgical Year (Pueblo
Books)
by
Thomas J. Talley (Author) The Rev. Dr.
Thomas J. Talley, Professor of Liturgics
at the General Theological Seminary in New
York, is one of the leading liturgists in
the country. He gives us a fresh
examination of the complex history of the
Liturgical Year. |
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The Cultural World of Jesus: Sunday by Sunday, Cycle C. (Bestseller! the Cultural World of Jesus: Sunday by Sunday)
by
John J. Pilch (Author)
Reader
Review: The book by Pilch provides
those who not only fill the pulpits across
this country but also all interested in
the cultural world in which Jesus lived
with a lot of pertinent information that
sheds light on a lot of areas that have
been "muddled" in the past. Yes, I highly
recommend this book. - James Mauldin |
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Learn more and read the Old Testament. |
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Preaching from the Old Testament
by Elizabeth Achtemeier (Author) Reader
Review: The author of these
thirty-two short chapters begins and ends
with the assumption that problems we
experience with the Old Testament are our
problem, not the Bible's. This
subordinating of the Bible reader to the
well-weathered book he holds in his hand
opens doors, not to forced harmonisations
of problematic passages, but to fresh
reappraisal of difficult texts on their
own terms. -
David A. Baer |
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The Navarre Bible: Pentateuch (The Navarre Bible: Old Testament)
This volume helps you make the first five
books of the Old Testament a vital part of
your spiritual reading and practical
growth in the Christian life. It contains
the full English and Latin texts of these
books, along with extensive and faithfully
Catholic commentaries. Like other volumes
in the world-renowned Navarre Bible
series, these commentaries draw on Church
documents, the exegesis of Fathers and
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Doctors of the Church, and the works of contemporary
spiritual writers — particularly St. Josemaría
Escrivá, who initiated the Navarre Bible
project. |
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Comments and
Suggestions are Most Welcome.
If you have any
comments or contributions, please
use the form in this link.
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Comments and Suggestions are Most Welcome.
If you have any comments or contributions,
please
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© 2006. My Catholic Tradition. All rights reserved |
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This
volume of commentary on the New English Bible text of the First Book of Kings
follows the pattern of the now well-established series on the Old and New
Testaments. The main divisions of the text are those provided by the New English
Bible itself, but these are further subdivided for the purposes of the
commentary, which is printed in short sections following the relevant portion of
the text.
