Prepare for Eternal Life
1st Sunday of Advent
“To you, O Lord, I lift my soul.”Ps. 25
Many people plan for their retirement from work, sacrificing a portion of their salary throughout their lives to ensure they have some extra money when they retire. This is wise, even though we cannot be certain we will live to enjoy that retirement. We could pass away before reaching that moment, and we don’t know how long we will stay or in what condition we’ll be.
However, knowing for sure that the end of our life in this world will come at some point, we should be making plans to reach eternal joy and not condemnation. Jesus both asked and warned us about this. We must be prepared to enter God’s Kingdom when our time comes to leave this world, which could be today or even this year. Do I sincerely believe I am prepared for that?
What does it mean to be prepared? I would say it involves already living by the values of Heaven—those Jesus Himself lived and taught. This means being detached from everything, free from idolatry, with our hearts set on God as our first love. It means being one of His disciples who listen to Him daily, follow Him, and deny themselves. It involves avoiding attachments to our own will or to human approval, seeking only God’s will.
This makes us citizens of Heaven, guided by the Spirit, a light to the world, and leaven in the dough, a gift from God and a blessing to others. This is what God desires for us.
“Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father; inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. For I was hungry, and you gave me food; I was thirsty, and you gave me drink; I was a stranger, and you welcomed me.”Matthew 25:34-35
“Be like servants waiting for their master to return from a wedding banquet, so that when he comes and knocks, they can immediately open the door for him. Blessed are those servants whom the master finds awake when he comes. Truly I tell you, he will dress himself to serve, will have them recline at the table, and will come and serve them.”Luke 12:37
“But you, be sober in all things, endure hardship, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry. For I am already being poured out like a drink offering, and the time of my departure is at hand. I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. Now there is in store for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day—and not only to me, but also to all who have longed for His appearing.”2 Timothy 4:6-8
“Who then is the faithful and wise servant whom the master has put in charge of the servants in his household to give them their food at the proper time? Blessed is that servant whose master finds him doing so when he returns. Truly I tell you, he will put him in charge of all his possessions.”Matthew 24:45-47
St. Frances Xavier Cabrini
St. Frances Xavier Cabrini (1850 -1917) dreamed of being a missionary. She first served Italian immigrant populations, from New York to Chicago, and across the U.S. She is the first United States citizen to be canonized and is the Universal Patron of Immigrants.
Weekly Readings
Sunday: Jer 33:14-16/Ps 25:4-5, 8-9, 10, 14 (1b)/1 Thes 3:12—4:2/Lk 21:25-28, 34-36
Monday: Is 2:1-5/Ps 122:1-2, 3-4b, 4cd-5, 6-7, 8-9/Mt 8:5-11
Tuesday: Is 11:1-10/Ps 72:1-2, 7-8, 12-13, 17/Lk 10:21-24
Wednesday: Is 25:6-10a/Ps 23:1-3a, 3b-4, 5, 6/Mt 15:29-37
Thursday: Is 26:1-6/Ps 118:1 and 8-9, 19-21, 25-27a/Mt 7:21, 24-27
Friday: Is 29:17-24/Ps 27:1, 4, 13-14/Mt 9:27-31
Saturday: Is 30:19-21, 23-26/Ps 147:1-2, 3-4, 5-6/Mt 9:35—10:1, 5a, 6-8
Next Sunday: Bar 5:1-9/Ps 126:1-2, 2-3, 4-5, 6 (3)/Phil 1:4-6, 8-11/Lk 3:1-6
Observances for the Week
Sunday: 1st Sunday of Advent
Tuesday: St. Francis Xavier, Priest
Wednesday: St. John Damascene, Priest and Doctor of the Church
Friday: St. Nicholas, Bishop
Saturday: St. Ambrose, Bishop and Doctor of the Church
Next Sunday: 2nd Sunday of Advent
