Currently viewing the tag: "Advent"
Advent, 4th Sunday. Every Advent season the Church encourages us to watch and wait for the coming of the Lord. If we have kept our eyes open, we have noticed moments of joy and peace. Joy and Peace are infallible signs of the presence of God. We have been watching for the coming of the Lord and we have discovered that He is already here. (23 Dec 2012)
Advent, 3rd Sunday. The Lord will be gathering the good to himself, but the evil he will “burn with unquenchable fire.” No one gets away with evil — not me, not you, not Adam Lanza. For those who are doing evil, this is very bad news. For those who are suffering the effects of evil, this is very good news. We have seen our darkness and sin, and our powerlessness to stop it. We need a Savior, and He is near, in our midst. Come Lord Jesus! Come and save us. (16 Dec 2012)
Advent, 2nd Sunday. Why does the Church tell us what not to do? Because she loves us and wants us to be happy. The Church wants us to avoid making a shipwreck of our lives. John the Baptist warns the people to “repent” — turn around — from their sin. Sin means missing the mark. Adjust your aim to shoot consistently at true excellence. Why does this matter? Because God made us for Himself. He wants His own glory to shine from within us and make us like lighthouses. Come, Lord Jesus. (9 Dec 2012)
Advent, 1st Sunday. Over Thanksgiving my brother thought he had plenty of time to pack, then he wasn’t ready in time. Jesus warns us in today’s Gospel that we need to stay ready for His coming: “Beware that your hearts do not become drowsy from carousing and drunkenness and the anxieties of daily life, and that day catch you by surprise like a trap.” What if the so-called “Mayan Prophecy” is true and the world really does end on December 21, 2012? You have 19 days left. Or, what if your death comes even sooner? What do you need to change to be ready for Christ? Do you need to forgive someone, or make a good Confession? Christ is coming soon; start packing. (2 Dec 2012)
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Adv4 – What are you getting Jesus for His birthday?
Advent, 4th Sunday. Imagine throwing a birthday party for all your closest friends. They all come [...]
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Advent3 – Rejoice the Lord is Near (5:50)
Advent, 3rd Sunday. [not recorded live]
Rejoice in the Lord always; again I say, Rejoice. Indeed, the [...]
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Advent2 – Mountains and Valleys (7:43)
Advent, 2nd Sunday. [not recorded live] Isaiah has good news for his people – God himself is coming to visit [...]
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Advent1 – Make time for God (5:30)
Advent, 1st Sunday. I recently visited my little niece. She was so excited that every half-hour she asked, “Is [...]
If you have been praying through Advent, you have probably noticed two things: First, your life is a little better than when Advent started. Second, you still have a long way to go. As we start to make room for God in our lives, we start to realize how much we really need to give to God. Ahaz did not believe that God was really with him, but God gave him a sign anyway. Joseph was not ready for the baby Jesus, but he welcomed Mary anyway. Even though we are not worthy of Christ, we have to welcome God into the mess of our lives, and he will make us worthy of him. What did the stable have that homes, inns and palaces of Bethlehem did not have? It had space for Christ. Make space for God and he will do the rest. [click post for audio content]
Twelve Lessons on the Catholic Faith – by Fr. Benjamin Sember
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