Posted on 11/29/2008 10:55:57 PM PST by Salvation
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 Week 1: Saturday The light of the moon will be like that of the sun and the light of the sun will be seven times greater (like the light of seven days). On the day the Lord binds up the wounds of His people, He will heal the bruises left by His blows. (Isaiah 30:26) Reflection God, while His ways are still mysterious to us, is not on the sidelines of our lives. Just as Isaiah predicted, He has come, in Jesus, to bind up the hurt of His people, and through Jesus’ presence is still active in the world. Advent Action Find an opportunity today to be the hands of God, and "bind up" someone’s hurt. Say a kind word and listen with compassion to someone who is suffering. Before going to bed, say a decade of the rosary for your mother. Prayer Lord, flood me with Your light, and help me to brighten the lives of those whom I find most dark. |
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Week 2: Second Sunday of Advent 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.
Waiting We light a candle today, a small dim light against a world that often seems forbidding and dark. But we light it because we are a people of hope, a people whose faith is marked by an expectation that we should always be ready for the coming of the Master. The joy and anticipation of this season is captured beautifully in the antiphons of hope from the monastic liturgies: See! The ruler of the earth shall come, the Lord who will take from us the heavy burden of our exile |
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Week 2: Monday Immaculate Conception 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. 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." 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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I look forward with anticipation for the Nativity display to be set up outside church. They have the creche up now. Waiting....
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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.
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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Our children had to wait until Christmas Even to put in Mary, Joseph, the Baby Jesus, the angels, the shepherds and the animals. Until then, it stood empty.
The three wise men were not added until the Epiphany.
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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? 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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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. 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. 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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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. 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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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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Week 3: Thursday Though the mountains leave their place and the hills be shaken My love shall never leave you nor My covenant of peace be shaken, says the Lord, who has mercy on you. (Isaiah 54:10) Reflection Sometimes we take God’s promises for granted. We have listened to them so many times that their meaning makes no impact on us. But consider: "Though the mountains leave their place…" God’s love is so steadfast, there is no event that could diminish it. There is no action on our part by which He would consider us unworthy. Have we shared this good news with anyone lately? Advent Action Send a get well card to someone in the hospital. Pray for those affected by war. Prayer Lord, Your wondrous good news of unshakable love for me, leaves me comforted and at peace. |
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Week 3: Friday All this took place to fulfill what the Lord has said through the prophet: "Behold, the virgin shall be with the child and bear a son, and they shall name him Emmanuel" which means, "God is with us," When Joseph awoke, he did as the angel of the Lord commanded him and took his wife into his home. (Matthew 1:22-24) Reflection Joseph’s commitment to Mary and to the child in her womb caused confusion and pain. He was a devout and honorable man, determined to do what was right. He trusted what he heard God say in his dream and obeyed the command of the angel. Advent Action If you haven’t already done so, put up a crèche or some other symbol to remind you of the coming feast. Prayer O come, O come, great Lord of Might, Who to your tribes on Sinai’s height In ancient times one gave the Law In cloud and majesty and awe. |
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December 20 In the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God to a city of Galilee named Nazareth, 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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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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