What Is Advent?
1st Sunday of Advent
“Let us go rejoicing to the house of the Lord.”Ps. 122
We await the advent-the coming—of our Savior, Jesus Christ. It is a liturgical season that we begin today to reflect on this truth of our faith: the Lord Jesus promised that He would return. The New Testament speaks often about the Second Coming of Christ, and there are also many references in the Old Testament with promises referring to the fulfillment or consummation of Christ’s work, which will take place when He comes again.
This truth of our faith, also known by the Greek word PAROUSIA (meaning “coming” or “advent”) of the Lord, is united in this liturgical season with our preparation for Christmas.
It is both fitting and wise that these two reflections are joined, since they have much in common: in both cases, we are preparing for the coming of the Lord – whether commemorating His first coming or awaiting His second and final coming. Thus, it is a time of preparation—a time for reflection, conversion, and for tuning the “sound” of our soul; just as one tunes a guitar, we must tune our lives to the tone that Christ gives us.
It is also a time of hope, for it is the joyful waiting for the coming of our Savior—a certainty, because He Himself promised it.
“Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking up toward heaven? This Jesus, who has been taken up from you into heaven, will come in the same way as you saw Him go into heaven.”Acts 1:11
We will hear many texts from Isaiah referring to the Messiah-both to His first coming and to the final coming we still await.
And in the Mass, we will also hear many exhortations from Jesus to be prepared for the deinitive encounter with Christ. He wants to find us, at His coming, with the lamps of faith burning brightly—fulfilling our duties and being good stewards of all He has given us.
“The one who gives testimony to these things says, ‘Surely I am coming soon.’ Amen. Come, Lord Jesus. The grace of the Lord Jesus be with all.”Revelation 22:20
Be prepared, for at the hour you least expect, the Son of Man will come.
MARANATHA! COME, LORD JESUS!
Saint Andrew | November 30
Saint Andrew was a fisherman in Galilee, along with his brother, Peter, when they were called by Jesus to leave their boat and become fishers of men. John’s Gospel also places him as a follower of John the Baptist before he came to be one of Jesus’ twelve Disciples. Beyond the scant references in the Gospels, not much is known of Saint Andrew’s life.
According to Christian tradition Saint Andrew, like many of his fellow Disciples, went out into Greece and Turkey to preach the Good News. A 4th century account of the saint’s life tells of his martyrdom by crucifixion in Patras. Medieval accounts describe the cross used as X-shaped because Andrew said he was not worthy to die on the same style of cross as Jesus.
Famously, Saint Andrew is the patron Saint of Scotland, the country’s flag bearing the X-shaped cross associated with him. Legends claim that the saint either traveled to Scotland to spread the Gospel or that his relics were brought there by St. Regulus who had a vision telling him to take the bones to the end of the earth. Regulus set out and was shipwrecked on the coast of Scotland. Today relics of St. Andrew which had been held by the Vatican are now at a shrine in Patras.
Readings of the Week
Sunday: Isaiah 2:1-5/Psalm 122: 1-2, 3-4, 4-5, 6-7, 8-9/Romans 13:11-14/Matthew 24:37-44
Monday: Isaiah 4:2-6/Psalm 122:1-2, 3-4b, 4cd-5, 6-7, 8-9/Matthew 8:5-11
Tuesday: Isaiah 11:1-10/Psalm 72:1-2, 7-8, 12-13, 17/Luke 10:21-24
Wednesday: Isaiah 25:6-10a/Psalm 23:1-3a, 3b-4, 5, 6/Matthew 15:29-37
Thursday: Isaiah 26:1-6/Psalm 118:1 and 8-9, 19-21, 25-27a/Matthew 7:21, 24-27
Friday: Isaiah 29:17-24/Psalm 27:1, 4, 13-14/Matthew 9:27-31
Saturday: Isaiah 30:19-21, 23-26/Psalm 147:1-2, 3-4, 5-6/Matthew 9:35–10:1, 5a, 6-8
Next Sunday: Isaiah 11:1-10/Psalm 72:1-2, 7-8, 12-13, 17/Romans 15:4-9/Matthew 3:1-12
Observances of the Week
Sunday: 1st Sunday of Advent
Wednesday: Memorial of Saint Francis Xavier, Priest
Next Sunday: 2nd Sunday of Advent
