First Sunday of Advent
Lectionary: 1

Reading 1 Is 2:1-5

This is what Isaiah, son of Amoz,
saw concerning Judah and Jerusalem.
In days to come,
the mountain of the LORD’s house
shall be established as the highest mountain
and raised above the hills.
All nations shall stream toward it;
many peoples shall come and say:
“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

R. Let us go rejoicing to the house of the Lord.
I rejoiced because they said to me,
“We will go up to the house of the LORD.”
And now we have set foot
within your gates, O Jerusalem.
R. Let us go rejoicing to the house of the Lord.
Jerusalem, built as a city
with compact unity.
To it the tribes go up,
the tribes of the LORD.
R. Let us go rejoicing to the house of the Lord.
According to the decree for Israel,
to give thanks to the name of the LORD.
In it are set up judgment seats,
seats for the house of David.
R. Let us go rejoicing to the house of the Lord.
Pray for the peace of Jerusalem!
May those who love you prosper!
May peace be within your walls,
prosperity in your buildings.
R. Let us go rejoicing to the house of the Lord.
Because of my brothers and friends
I will say, “Peace be within you!”
Because of the house of the LORD, our God,
I will pray for your good.
R. Let us go rejoicing to the house of the Lord.

Reading 2 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.

Alleluia Cf. Ps 85:8

R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Show us Lord, your love;
and grant us your salvation.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.

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.”

MY BROTHERS AND SISTERS,

Whatever situations that we find ourselves in the present time we need to constantly remind ourselves that Jesus Christ is with us. Because of this, the present is intertwined with the future in a beautiful way. There is the knowledge that nothing is impossible as  long as we acknowledge and react to His presence while there is the Hope that in the future we will remain with Him for eternity. This Hope is not one that is measured against doubts that might be present but it is actually purer form. We as Christians should enforce ourselves with the knowledge constantly available to us that will lead us to the obvious conclusion that Christ will indeed come again. There should be a desire that this will happen sooner than later. The events that Jesus Christ speaks about, signs of the Second Coming, are ones that should be acknowledged with expectation and joy.

We are participators in a very special relationship with Jesus Christ. Spirituality, He is here and throughout Creation making His presence known daily. We can feel Him, touch Him, and witness His glorious work if only we take the time to do so. The entire universe is moving towards an ultimate end and we are all part of that journey. At the end is the full power and presence of Jesus Christ. Now we can be considered a partial recipient of Jesus Christ because we are in control of when and how we receive Him. This will change when Jesus reveals Himself completely. On that day, be it while we live in the physical sense or when we have died, we will then be with Jesus completely. All these experiences should be viewed as passages to be traveled and looked forward to with expectation. It is Hope with understanding and knowledge.

There is wonderment in this world. There are experiences to be lived and times to be celebrated. Yet, if we do not invite Jesus Christ to share in these experiences then the full meaning of them will be lost. Sacred Scripture, Sacred Tradition, and the Teaching of the Church offer a path to a wonderful experience that goes beyond the sense and what society can offer. There is purpose, meaning, and love. We are invited to climb the mountain to the Lord and, in return, He will give us what we are instinctively searching for. The higher we climb the more the reward there will be. When we come closer to Jesus, the more we can feel His presence.

We endanger ourselves when we lose sight of the mountain and the climb. We become distracted with the trivial matters of the flesh and forget to celebrate the spirit which is our soul. It needs nourishment to grow stronger while the physical demands nourishment for purely diabolical reasons. The physical gives nothing back in return except for instant gratification and things that will not last forever. The soul is who we are and it is naturally drawn to its Creator. When we participate more fully in this relationship only good things can abound. 

Each day can bring us closer to Jesus Christ. If we are possessors of this special kind of Hope then we must act like we are. This special knowledge and understanding demands that we conduct ourselves the way Jesus expects us to. The more we do this then the stronger our spirituality becomes and the closer we get to Jesus Christ. The things offered in this world are nothing in comparison to everything that Jesus Christ offers. Shouldn’t we live our lives with that Hope for the things if we know this to be true?

Deacon Tom

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Primer domingo de Adviento

Leccionario: 1

Lectura 1 Es 2: 1-5

Esto es lo que Isaías, hijo de Amoz,
Vio acerca de Judá y Jerusalén.
En los próximos días,
El monte de la casa del SEÑOR
Se establecerá como la montaña más alta
Y se elevó sobre las colinas.
Todas las naciones fluirán hacia ella;
Muchos pueblos vendrán y dirán:
"Venid, subamos al monte del SEÑOR,
A la casa del Dios de Jacob,
Para que nos instruya en sus caminos,
Y andemos en sus caminos ".
Porque de Sión saldrá instrucción,
Y la palabra de Jehová de Jerusalén.
El juzgará entre las naciones,
E imponer condiciones a muchos pueblos.
Ellos golpearán sus espadas en arados
Y sus lanzas en ganchos de podar;
Una nación no levantará la espada contra otra,
Ni volverán a entrenar para la guerra.
Oh casa de Jacob, venid,
¡Caminemos en la luz del Señor!

Salmo responsorial Salmo 122: 1-2, 3-4, 4-5, 6-7, 8-9

R. Vamos a alegrarnos a la casa del Señor.

Me regocijé porque me dijeron:
"Subiremos a la casa de Jehová."
Y ahora hemos puesto el pie
Dentro de tus puertas, oh Jerusalén.

R. Vamos a alegrarnos a la casa del Señor.

Jerusalén, construida como ciudad
Con unidad compacta.
A ella suben las tribus,
Las tribus de Jehová.

R. Vamos a alegrarnos a la casa del Señor.

Según el decreto para Israel,
Para dar gracias al nombre de Jehová.
En ella se establecen asientos de juicio,
Asientos para la casa de David.

R. Vamos a alegrarnos a la casa del Señor.

¡Oren por la paz de Jerusalén!
Que los que te aman prosperen!
Que la paz esté dentro de tus muros,
Prosperidad en sus edificios.

R. Vamos a alegrarnos a la casa del Señor.
Por mis hermanos y amigos
Yo diré: "¡La paz esté dentro de ustedes!"
Por la casa de Jehová nuestro Dios,
Rezaré por tu bien.

R. Vamos a alegrarnos a la casa del Señor.

Lectura 2 Rom 13: 11-14

Hermanos y hermanas:
Usted sabe la hora;
Es la hora ahora para que usted despierte del sueño.
Porque nuestra salvación está más cerca ahora que cuando creímos;
La noche está avanzada, el día está cerca.
Vamos a deshacernos de las obras de la oscuridad
Y se puso la armadura de la luz;
Hagámonos nosotros mismos como en el día,
No en las orgías y la embriaguez,
No en la promiscuidad y la lujuria,
No en rivalidad y celos.
Pero poned en el Señor Jesucristo,
Y no prevean los deseos de la carne.

Aleluya Cf. Sal 85: 8

R. Alleluia, aleluya.
Muéstranos Señor, tu amor;
Y concédenos tu salvación.

R. Alleluia, aleluya.

Evangelio Mt 24: 37-44
Jesús dijo a sus discípulos:
"Como fue en los días de Noé,
Así será en la venida del Hijo del Hombre.
En aquellos días antes del diluvio,
Estaban comiendo y bebiendo,
Casarse y dar en matrimonio,
Hasta el día que Noé entró en el arca.
No lo sabían hasta que llegó la inundación y los llevaron a todos.
Así será también en la venida del Hijo del Hombre.
Dos hombres estarán en el campo;
Uno será tomado, y uno quedará.
Dos mujeres estarán moliendo en el molino;
Uno será tomado, y uno quedará.
Por lo tanto, permanecer despierto!
Porque no sabéis en qué día vendrá vuestro Señor.
Asegúrese de esto: si el amo de la casa
Había sabido la hora de la noche cuando el ladrón venía,
Se habría quedado despierto
Y no deje que su casa sea roto.
Así también, también debe estar preparado,
Porque a la hora que no esperes, vendrá el Hijo del Hombre ".

MIS HERMANOS Y HERMANAS,

Cualquiera que sea la situación en la que nos encontremos en el tiempo presente, debemos recordarnos constantemente que Jesucristo está con nosotros. Debido a esto, el presente se entrelaza con el futuro de una manera hermosa. Existe el conocimiento de que nada es imposible mientras reconocemos y reaccionemos ante Su presencia mientras existe la Esperanza de que en el futuro permaneceremos con Él por la eternidad. Esta esperanza no es una que se mide contra las dudas que podrían estar presentes, pero es en realidad la forma más pura. Nosotros como cristianos debemos hacernos valer con el conocimiento constantemente disponible para nosotros que nos llevará a la conclusión obvia de que Cristo vendrá de nuevo. Debe haber un deseo de que esto suceda más pronto que tarde. Los acontecimientos que habla Jesucristo, signos de la Segunda Venida, son aquellos que deben ser reconocidos con expectación y alegría.

Somos participantes en una relación muy especial con Jesucristo. Espiritualidad, Él está aquí y en toda la Creación dando a conocer su presencia diariamente. Podemos sentirlo, tocarlo, y ser testigo de Su gloriosa obra si sólo tomamos el tiempo para hacerlo. Todo el universo se está moviendo hacia un fin último y todos somos parte de ese viaje. Al final está el poder completo y la presencia de Jesucristo. Ahora podemos ser considerados como un receptor parcial de Jesucristo porque estamos en control de cuándo y cómo lo recibimos. Esto cambiará cuando Jesús se revele completamente. En ese día, sea mientras vivamos en el sentido físico o cuando hemos muerto, entonces estaremos con Jesús completamente. Todas estas experiencias deben ser vistas como pasajes para ser viajado y esperado con expectativa. Es la Esperanza con comprensión y conocimiento.

Hay maravilla en este mundo. Hay experiencias que hay que vivir y tiempos para celebrar. Sin embargo, si no invitamos a Jesucristo a participar en estas experiencias, entonces el significado completo de ellas se perderá. La Sagrada Escritura, la Sagrada Tradición y la Enseñanza de la Iglesia ofrecen un camino a una maravillosa experiencia que va más allá del sentido y lo que la sociedad puede ofrecer. Hay propósito, significado y amor. Estamos invitados a subir la montaña al Señor y, a cambio, Él nos dará lo que estamos buscando instintivamente. Cuanto más alto subamos, más recompensa habrá. Cuando nos acercamos a Jesús, más podemos sentir Su presencia.

Nos ponemos en peligro cuando perdemos de vista la montaña y la subida. Nos distraemos con los asuntos triviales de la carne y nos olvidamos de celebrar el espíritu que es nuestra alma. Necesita alimento para crecer más fuerte, mientras que las exigencias físicas nutren por razones puramente diabólicas. El físico no devuelve nada a cambio excepto por la gratificación instantánea y cosas que no durarán para siempre. El alma es quien somos y es naturalmente atraída por su Creador. Cuando participamos más plenamente en esta relación sólo las cosas buenas pueden abundar.

Cada día nos puede acercar más a Jesucristo. Si somos poseedores de este tipo especial de esperanza, entonces debemos actuar como somos. Este conocimiento y comprensión especiales exige que nos conduzcamos de la manera que Jesús espera que nosotros. Cuanto más lo hagamos, más fuerte será nuestra espiritualidad y más cerca estaremos de Jesucristo. Las cosas ofrecidas en este mundo no son nada en comparación con todo lo que Jesucristo ofrece. ¿No deberíamos vivir nuestras vidas con esa esperanza para las cosas si sabemos que esto es verdad?

Deacon Tom

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The Solemnity of Our Lord Jesus Christ, King of the Universe
Lectionary: 162

Reading 1 2 Sm 5:1-3

In those days, all the tribes of Israel came to David in Hebron and said:
“Here we are, your bone and your flesh.
In days past, when Saul was our king,
it was you who led the Israelites out and brought them back.
And the LORD said to you,
‘You shall shepherd my people Israel
and shall be commander of Israel.’”
When all the elders of Israel came to David in Hebron,
King David made an agreement with them there before the LORD,
and they anointed him king of Israel.

Responsorial Psalm Ps 122:1-2, 3-4, 4-5

R. (cf. 1) Let us go rejoicing to the house of the Lord.
I rejoiced because they said to me,
"We will go up to the house of the LORD."
And now we have set foot
within your gates, O Jerusalem.
R. Let us go rejoicing to the house of the Lord.
Jerusalem, built as a city
with compact unity.
To it the tribes go up,
the tribes of the LORD.
R. Let us go rejoicing to the house of the Lord.
According to the decree for Israel,
to give thanks to the name of the LORD.
In it are set up judgment seats,
seats for the house of David.
R. Let us go rejoicing to the house of the Lord.

Reading 2 Col 1:12-20

Brothers and sisters:
Let us give thanks to the Father,
who has made you fit to share
in the inheritance of the holy ones in light.
He delivered us from the power of darkness
and transferred us to the kingdom of his beloved Son,
in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.

He is the image of the invisible God,
the firstborn of all creation.
For in him were created all things in heaven and on earth,
the visible and the invisible,
whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers;
all things were created through him and for him.
He is before all things,
and in him all things hold together.
He is the head of the body, the church.
He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead,
that in all things he himself might be preeminent.
For in him all the fullness was pleased to dwell,
and through him to reconcile all things for him,
making peace by the blood of his cross
through him, whether those on earth or those in heaven.

Alleluia Mk 11:9, 10

R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!
Blessed is the kingdom of our father David that is to come!
R. Alleluia, alleluia.

Gospel Lk 23:35-43

The rulers sneered at Jesus and said,
“He saved others, let him save himself
if he is the chosen one, the Christ of God.”
Even the soldiers jeered at him.
As they approached to offer him wine they called out,
“If you are King of the Jews, save yourself.”
Above him there was an inscription that read,
“This is the King of the Jews.”

Now one of the criminals hanging there reviled Jesus, saying,
“Are you not the Christ?
Save yourself and us.”
The other, however, rebuking him, said in reply,
“Have you no fear of God,
for you are subject to the same condemnation?
And indeed, we have been condemned justly,
for the sentence we received corresponds to our crimes,
but this man has done nothing criminal.”
Then he said,
“Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.”
He replied to him,
“Amen, I say to you,
today you will be with me in Paradise.”

MY BROTHERS AND SISTERS,

 Today we celebrate the Solemnity of Jesus Christ King of the Universe. We are challenged as Christians to recognize Him as He is in all of His power and glory. How are we to approach Him daily if He is indeed all that we profess Him to be? Are we going to let Him into our lives and let Him do the work that is necessary for our salvation or are we going to take Him for granted as so many people in the world do so today? This is a very special day of recommitment to the principles that we have so many times claimed to live by and, at the same time, ignored and turned away from. Paul brings this challenge to the forefront of the day in his Letter to the Colossians. In it he expresses directly who Jesus Christ is, leaving no doubt how we should experience Him.

The Colossians were approaching the Divinity of Jesus Christ the wrong way. More time was being spent on the reverence of spiritual beings and pagan rituals. Paul felt the need to refocus their faith solely on Jesus Christ. In many of the same ways, we too can find ourselves distracted from Jesus Christ even when we have the best of intentions. We may find ourselves performing good works but forgetting why we are doing them or in whose name we should be doing them in. We may find ourselves swept up in our duties to the Church and forgetting whose church it really is. And, at times, we may actually find ourselves glorifying the saints while forgetting to glorify Jesus Christ.

It is healthy and necessary to remember why we do things and who we do it for. All of our actions and thoughts should be preempted by the understanding that all that we do and all that we are is because of Jesus Christ. When Jesus Christ is removed, everything else collapses and becomes meaningless. The criminal on the cross gave his last moments over to Jesus and, as a result, all of his sins were forgiven. He was promised that he would be welcomed into Paradise. We are promised the same thing by accepting Jesus Christ and acting out our faith. This goes back to the Paradox of the Cross: There we hang, living in hopelessness and listlessness, while Christ is there beside us because of us. Yet, He is there for us as both an example through suffering and as a relief to the burdens of our sins. It is through His voluntary suffering, cursed by the world, hanging from a tree, that we find love and salvation.

Today let us plan our eternity around Jesus Christ. Today let us recommit ourselves to Our Lord and Our Savior. We have to make Jesus’ presence within us and around us more evident so that we may spread the Message of Salvation around the world. This is what we have been commissioned to do as Children of God. If He is indeed Our King then we must act out our beliefs continuously. It is only then that we can experience Him fully and be witnesses to Him in all of His Glory.

Deacon Tom