My Sunday Daily Blessings
Be still, quiet your heart and mind, the Lord is here, loving you, talking to you.......................................................................
First Sunday of Advent (Roman Rite Calendar)
First Reading: Is 2:1-5
“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!
Responsorial Psalm: Ps 122:1-2, 3-4, 4-5, 6-7, 8-9
"Let us go rejoicing to the house of the Lord."
Second Reading: Rom 13:11-14
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.
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.
Gospel: Mt 24:37-44
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.”
“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.”
Meditation:
Do you know what it feels like when you expect a friend to come whom you haven't seen for some time, and he or she delays? Or when you get excited because you are anticipating some important event to take place, and you wake up in the morning with that thought on your mind? The Lord Jesus expects us to watch in great anticipation for the most important event of all – his return in glory at the end of time! The prophets foretold the coming of the Lord when he shall judge between the nations and decide for many peoples (Isaiah 2:5). The Advent season reminds us that we are living in the end times. The end times begins with the first coming of Christ (his Incarnation which we celebrate at Christmas) and culminates in his final return on the Day of Judgment. Jesus spoke of his return in glory at the end of time as a for certain fact. Jesus' audience understood the title, Son of Man, as referring to the Messianic prophecy of the Annointed King who comes to establish an everlasting kingdom over the earth (see Daniel 7:13). While the second coming is for certain, the time is unknown. The Lord's judgment comes swiftly and often unexpectedly. Jesus warns his listeners to not be caught off guard when that day arrives. It will surely come in God's good time! Do you earnestly pray for God's kingdom to come – here and now!
What does Jesus mean when he says that one will be taken and another left? Having the right friends, even those who are very close to God, will not guarantee our entry into heaven. We can live and work with godly Christians, but no matter how close they may be to God, they cannot win a place for us in heaven. God offers each of us a personal invitation to accept his kingdom or to reject it. There is really no middle ground. We are either for God or against him, for his kingdom of righteousness or against it. The choice is ours. And God's grace is available to those who are willing to believe in God and obey his word.
God knows our struggles and challenges well, and he gives grace and help wherever we need it. But there is one excuse that God will not accept from us – that is trying to pass off personal responsibility for our lives and for our decisions to someone else. God's judges each of us individually according to how we have responded to his gracious invitation to live for his kingdom. No one can discharge his or her duty by proxy or association. The good news is that God is merciful and he gives grace to turn away from sin and he gives us the help we need to follow in his way of holiness. God's judgment is good news for those who are ready to meet the Lord when he returns in his glory. He gives us fresh hope each day so we can keep our eyes on the eternal reward waiting for us. What is that reward we long for? It is God himself, who is the source of all truth, beauty, and goodness, and the fullness of undying love and abundant life that never ends.
In every age God issues his warning as a sign of mercy to those who will heed it. The people in Noah's time ignored the Lord's warning of judgment. They missed the boat, literally! Whose boat are you taking – the world's boat to false success, empty promises, and fleeting happiness or God's boat to unending peace, joy, and union with him? Those whose hope is firmly anchored in heaven will not be disappointed when God's judgment comes. They rejoice even now that they will see the Lord in his glory! Is your hope firmly placed in God and in his kingdom of righteousness, peace, and joy?
Jesus concludes his warning with a parable about a robbery that could have been prevented. If you knew that a thief wanted to steal your prized possession and your inheritance, wouldn't you guard it with your life? How foolish to leave our treasure unguarded where the thief can easily steal. God promises each of us an inheritance and an eternal reward which he calls a "treasure beyond measure" (see the parable of the hidden treasure and the pearl of great price in Matthew 13:44-46). What is this treasure of immeasurable value? It is the Lord himself who is our treasure, and the kingdom he offers us is a kingdom of true and lasting peace, joy, and righteousness. The Lord offers us a personal relationship with him as his sons and daughters and the promise of eternal life as well. This imperishable treasure will outlast any earthly treasure. But it is possible that we could lose this treasure of supreme value if we allow sin or Satan to rob us of our faith and hope in God. Do you keep your sight on the heavenly treasure which awaits you?
Prayer:
"Lord Jesus Christ, you are my hope and salvation. Help me to never lose sight of the goal of heaven and give me fresh joy and zeal to live each day for your kingdom." Amen.
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