A Special Guest For This Christmas
Second Sunday of Advent
“John went throughout the whole region, proclaiming a baptism of repentance.” Luke 3:3
This Sunday we celebrate the Second Sunday of Advent. One of the most beautiful seasons in our liturgical calendar which unfortunately most of the times we don’t celebrate as we should. We love and get excited with the season of Christmas, but Advent? I don’t think so! Advent is a beautiful time of preparation, excitement and hope. Yes, especially hope. Hope is to expect that something good is coming; something great is going to happen. Jesus is coming! Is there something greater than this? Let me ask you something, Is someone coming to visit you this Christmas? Would you have a guest visiting you this Christmas? Are you visiting someone this Christmas? There is someone who would like to spend time with you this Christmas and longs for you to spend time with you this Christmas: Jesus Christ. Would you allow him to be with you? Would you open your heart to him and receive him?
The readings for this Sunday invites us to prepare the way of the Lord, make straight his paths. To fill our valleys and to level our hills. For some of us, those valleys are our refusal to forgive those who have hurt us in our lives. They have become canyons of pain and resentment and need to be filled with love and forgiveness. We have to level the mountains and hills we have constructed with our selfishness, pride, power and materialism. This is possible. Christmas is a celebration of Love that God has for all of us in sending us His Son to give us peace, to give us joy. I really hope and pray that this season of Advent be truly a time of preparation for that special guest we are having this Christmas.
Readings for the Week
Monday: Is 35:1-10; Ps 85:9-14; Lk 5:17-26
Tuesday: Is 40:1-11; Ps 96:1-3, 10ac, 11-13; Mt 18:12-14
Wednesday: Zec 2:14-17 or Rv 11:19a; 12:1-6a,10ab; Jdt 13:18bcde, 19; Lk 1:26-38 or Lk 1:39-47
Thursday: Is 41:13-20; Ps 145:1, 9-13ab; Mt 11:11-15
Friday: Is 48:17-19; Ps 1:1-4, 6; Mt 11:16-19
Saturday: Sir 48:1-4, 9-11; Ps 80: 2ac, 3b, 15-16, 18-19; Mt 17:9a, 10-13
Sunday: Zep 3:14-18a; Is 12:2-6; Phil 4:4-7; Lk 3:10-18
Saints & Special Observances
Sunday: Second Sunday of Advent
Monday: International Human Rights Day
Tuesday: St. Damasus I
Wednesday: Our Lady of Guadalupe
Thursday: St. Lucy
Friday: St. John of the Cross