Advent 2007 -- Day by Day

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	Week 2: Monday   Say to those whose hearts are frightened: Be strong, fear not! Here is your God, He comes with vindication; With divine recompense He comes to save you. (Isaiah 35: 4) Reflection In a world where political instability threatens long established order, where crime in our country seems out of control and unstoppable, there seems to be plenty to be afraid of. Isaiah reminds us that God’s power is beyond anything on this earth that could frighten us. "Be strong" and "fear not" this Advent. Is having a frightened heart different that just being afraid? The kind of fear we have in our hearts is usually fear for people we love. God’s care encompasses them as well. Trust God’s power. Advent Action Send a Christmas card to a young person you know and care for. Remind them that you are praying for them, and remind them of the faith significance of the upcoming holiday. Prayer Lord, You are my strength and with You here, my own fears fade right away.

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	Week 2: Tuesday Then will the eyes of the blind be opened, the ears of the deaf be cleared; then will the lame leap like a stag, then the tongue of the dumb will sing. Streams will burst forth in the desert, and rivers in the steppe. The burning sands will become pools, and the thirsty ground, springs of water; the abode where the jackals lurk will be a marsh for the reed and papyrus. (Isaiah 35: 5-7) Reflection In Advent we celebrate the miraculous transformations Isaiah talks about: the lame leaping and streams of water bursting forth in the desert. We also celebrate seemingly ordinary events, the birth of two babies, John the Baptist and Jesus, that are part of the unfolding of God’s salvation plan. In every event of our lives, God is there, with His mercy and love and purpose. God desires that all should feel His mercy and love just as the desert sands would experience the overflowing spring. Advent Action Let God’s mercy and love operate in your own life. Make up with a friend or family member you have been fighting with. Prayer Lord, may I joyfully overflow the confining boundaries I have set to my love.

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	Week 2: Wednesday "Come to Me, all you who labor and are burdened, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am meek and humble of heart; and you will find rest for yourselves. For My yoke is easy and My burden light." (Matthew 11:28-30) Reflection Are there burdens I can let go of? Sometimes we make other people’s problems our own. What burdens that are not my own can I give to God? Remember the old phrase, "Let go and let God." But, at the same time Jesus offers comfort, He asks us to take on His yoke. To be "yoked" to Jesus means that we must walk in step with Him. If we are in step with Jesus, then we can hear any burden that comes our way. Jesus, and the graces we receive through His Church, share the load every step of the way. Advent Action Send a card to a friend or loved one who lost a family member during this year. Let them know you are praying for them and thinking of them this Christmas.   Prayer Lord, I give over all my cares to Your most Sacred Heart that I may be at rest in You.

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	Week 2: Thursday From the days of John the Baptist until now, the kingdom of heaven suffers violence, and the violent are taking it be force. (Matthew 11:12) Reflection Our world will never be bliss. We can say with Matthew, that from the days of John the Baptist until now, that God’s kingdom suffers violence. That is why we celebrate Advent over and over. We reassert that the violence we suffer in this world is not the norm, but only a temporary condition. That mystery of our faith is proclaimed each time we celebrate the Eucharist: Christ has died, Christ is risen, Christ will come again. We are grounded in this present world, but look to the world to come. Advent Action Renew your commitment to a special time of Advent prayer each day throughout the season. Say a prayer sometime today for the Americas. Contemplate on the miracle of the Cloak Of Juan Diego.    Prayer Lord, may I refrain from all violent words and deeds, and help make my part of this world a more peaceful place.
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May everyone enjoy the blessed spirit of Christmas in their heart and spirit.

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Happy Gaudete Sunday to you. Still in Advent aren’t we?

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	Week 2: Friday   Thus says the Lord, you redeemer, the Holy One of Israel: I, the Lord, your God, teach you what is for your good, and lead you on the way you should go. If you would hearken to my commandments, your prosperity would be like a river, and your vindication like the waves of the sea; your descendants would be like the sand, and those born of your stock like its grains, their name never cut off or blotted out from my presence. (Isaiah 48:17-19) Reflection The use of water as a metaphor of God, or for any good thing, is common in Hebrew Scriptures. Who should know more about the preciousness of water than a desert people like the Israelites? Isaiah says our prosperity will be like a river. Have we let God’s love flow over us like a river, or are we stingy when we imagine it? Do we imagine God’s love as a trickle or a torrent? Advent Action Send a get-well card to someone in the hospital. Ask St. Lucy to help us not to be blinded our personal goals, but to always seek what the Lord wants us to do. Prayer Lord, wash me and I shall be clean, bathe me in Your loving mercy and I shall be truly forgiven.

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Prayers offered up that everyone will be able to get to mass and church this weekend, in light of the freezing sleet and rain and snowstorms forecast for this weekend for much of the country. Traveling mercies to all as they head out to the mall and to family activities and church pageants and parties.

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	Week 2: Saturday Then the disciples asked Him, "Why do the scribes say that Elijah must come first?" He said in reply, "Elijah will indeed come and restore all things; but I tell you that Elijah has already come, and they did not recognize him but did to him whatever they pleased. So also will the Son of Man suffer at their hands." Then the disciples understood that He was speaking to them of John the Baptist. (Matthew 17: 10-13) Reflection Some among those who followed Jesus would not believe that He was the Messiah. They were waiting for the reappearance of Elijah, who Scripture said must return before the coming of the Messiah. In the same way, many of us have set up obstacles that prevent us from living as if the Messiah has already come. What are we waiting for? What obstacles have we set up to prevent us from living as if our Savior has already come? Advent Action Make a phone call. Call someone you have been meaning to speak to, but for some reason you have not done so. May St. John Of The Cross intercede in our prayers for peace on Earth.  Prayer Lord, in Your own way remove everything that makes it hard for me to see You clearly today.

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	Week 3: Sunday   Prayer for the Advent Wreath Lord, our God, we praise You for Your Son, Jesus Christ, for He is Emmanuel, the Hope of all people. He is the Wisdom that teaches and guides us. He is the Savior of us all. O Lord, let your blessing come upon us as we light  two (purple) candles and the third (pink) of this wreath. May the wreath and its light be a sign of Christ’s promise of salvation. May He come quickly and not delay. We ask this in His holy name. Amen. Rejoicing "(The desert) will bloom with abundant flowers and rejoice with joyful song." "Rejoice in the Lord always!" "Shout for joy, O daughter Zion!" The Scriptures for the Third Sunday of Advent proclaim their message in no uncertain terms: Rejoice! Joy is all around us and our celebration of Advent calls us to discover it. The joy that the Scripture passages speak about is not a joy that equates with hilarious laughter. It is a joy that comes from a security with our God, those around us, and our place in the world. It is the joy Isaiah describes when he writes, "I rejoice heartily in the Lord, in my God is the joy of my soul." It is a joy that cannot be bought or obtained from artificial highs. It is a joy that comes from our living faith in a living God. It is the joy we feel as we approach the birth of our Savior and remember the awesome beauty of what happened on that cold Bethlehem night. Rejoice!

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Prayers for those living in areas affected by inclement snow weather. In any case, here's wishing everyone Advent blessings.

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Let us rejoice! The celebration of the birth of our Savior is nigh!

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	Week 3: Monday   When He had come into the temple area, the chief priests and the elders of the people approached Him as He was teaching and said, "By what authority are you doing these things? And who gave you this authority?" (Matthew 21:23) Reflection The question of authority always followed Jesus. Different groups and individuals would try to ask Him difficult questions to trick Him and make Him look stupid in front of the crowds who listened to His teaching. It is clear that Jesus derived His authority from an unshakable inner knowledge of His relationship to the Father. Do we have confidence in our relationship with God so that we can speak the truth as we see it? Or do we expect the Church or some other authority to speak for us? Advent Action Make something (bake a cake, draw a picture, cut out a cartoon) to cheer someone up or as a means of sharing the spirit of the season. Prayer Lord, make me confident anew of Your great gift of faith that I may tell others of Your goodness.

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	Week 3: Tuesday   For then I will change and purify the lips of the people, that they all may call upon the name of the Lord, to serve Him with one accord. (Zephaniah 3:9) Reflection Zephaniah’s prophetic dream of unity seems no closer to reality today than when it was 2500 years ago. Even though our world enjoys many modern technological advantages over the world of Zephaniah, it seems that there is not technological "fix" for the human heart. "Change" and "pure lips" require personal conversion. What have I done to promote "one accord" in the world? No matter how we might view ourselves, all people are equal in the sight of God. We are all His servants. Advent Action Examine your conscience. Are you continually turning towards God? Prayer Lord, purify me of everything, whether present or past, that hinders me from serving You.

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	December 20 In the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God to a city of Galilee named Nazareth,  to a virgin betrothed to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David; and the virgin's name was Mary. And he came to her and said, "Hail, O favored one, the Lord is with you!"  But she was greatly troubled at the saying, and considered in her mind what sort of greeting this might be. And the angel said to her, "Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God.  And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus.  [Luke 1:27 -31] Reflection What should Christians look like to the world in which we live? How could other people know by our words and actions that we are followers of Christ? What should make us distinctive and stand out from non-Christians? How can we be the light of the world and the salt of the earth as our Lord says we should be? Advent Action If we are to teach by example, make plans to teach someone  during the Holiday season. A child or friend could learn by your actions. Prayer Lord, clarify my vision that I may see You in others and sense You within my own soul.

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Week 3: Wednesday Turn to Me and be safe, all you ends of the earth, for I am God; there is no other! (Isaiah 45:22) Reflection We need to be reminded, just like the Israelite people in the desert who built a golden calf, that it is God who is God, not the idols we create. It seems that times are more subtle now. People melting down their jewelry to fashion an idol in a public place is not a common sight in our day. But we do, as a people, flock to certain places and events as if they were important: television sets, soap operas, celebrities. Do I live my day-to-day life as if a supernatural being is my God? Or do I live as if some earthly pleasure or diversion is? Where is my energy expended? Where is my time spent? Where do I turn? Advent Action Think of some possession you have that you can give away to the poor. Give to the Catholic Relief Fund or to some other charity. Prayer Lord, help me turn to You and let nothing take me from You, for You alone are my God.

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# 37 and 36 are reversed. My mistake.

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	December 21 The Lord, your God, is in your midst, a mighty Savior; He will rejoice over you with gladness, and renew you in His love, He will sing joyfully because of you, as one sings at festivals. (Zephaniah 3:17) Reflection The reading from Zephaniah expresses in poetic language the boundless love God has for each of us. In some translations the words say "God will exult over you!" It is surely God’s desire that someday we will all be with Him in heaven. No matter what happened before, God is ready each moment to show us this love. The words of Zephaniah and our celebration of Christmas should bring us to a deeper awareness of how profound is God’s love for us. Advent Action Send a get-well card to someone in the hospital. Prayer O come, O Dayspring from on high And cheer us by your drawing nigh; Disperse the gloomy clouds of night, And death’s dark shadow put to flight.

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December 22 And Mary said, "My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord: my spirit rejoices in God my Savior. For He has looked upon His handmaid’s lowliness; behold, from now on will all ages call me blessed." (Luke 1:46) Reflection Mary says that she is lowly, and also that all will call her blessed. How can both of these things be true? Mary’s lowliness was transformed by her faith in God’s promise as given to her by the angel. Through this faith she became the most exalted of God’s servants. Do we let God work with and transform our lives? Or, do we use our own "lowliness" as an excuse for inaction? Christmas is a beautiful time for re-inviting God into our lives and letting His power transform the ordinary into the extraordinary. Advent Action Make a "mini-retreat" to prepare for Christmas. Read the first and second chapters of Luke’s Gospel and spend some time reflecting on the story of Jesus’ birth and early life. Prayer O come, Desire of nations, bind In one the hearts of humankind; O bid our sad divisions cease  And be for us our King of Peace.