Each of the lessons for this first Sunday in Advent, Dec. 1, 2013, talk of expectations for the future. And in each case it is while people are doing ordinary things – things like eating, drinking, marrying, working in the fields or grinding grain. These people are not described as doing anything wrong or bad, but are not living with awareness that the day of the Lord could come at any time. The clear message in this Gospel is: "Be ready" and "be prepared.”
Sunday Readings' Discussion Questions
First Sunday of Advent, Dec. 1, 2013 (1AdvA)
From the Center for Liturgy at Saint Louis University
Sunday Mass Readings
Podcast of the Readings
Video of Reflections on Readings
Lecturas y Comentarios
Prayer of the Hours
Burning Question: Why Don't you Read the Bible?
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Questions on Sunday's Readings for use by discussion groups,
prayer groups, or for individual prayer.
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First Reading
Book of the Prophet Isaiah, Chapter 2, Verses 1-5
1. Come, listen to instruction, don’t fight. This was the mesage Isaiah proclaimed to all the people of Judah. How do these words pertain to you individually? What does it have to do with your own Advent preparation?
2. What words come to your mind when you think of “swords” and “spears”? or “plowshares”? Do you have the equivalent of swords and spears in your office, parish, or your own life? How does, “They shall beat their swords into plowshares” relate to you?
Responsorial Psalms
Psalm 122, Verses 1-9
1. Compare the Psalm with the 1st reading (Isaiah). What do they both say about our spiritual journey? How is peace to be achieved both with other nations and within ourselves?
2. How does the Psalm prepare us for that journey we must make at the end of our days on earth? What does the Psalm say we will obtain when we are present with the Lord?
Second Reading
Letter of St. Paul to the Romans, Chapter 13, Verses 11-14
1. In all the places you live and work, is there some dimness that you can brighten with your Christ light?
2. In Advent we look backward to Christ’s first coming and forward to his next. This reading is about now. What is so important about now? Does Christ come now also?
Gospel
According to Matthew, Chapter 24, Verses 37-44
1. Advent is about Jesus coming to us. What can you do during this season to make him welcome?
2. Regarding social justice issues, does the Church need to rouse from its sleep? How about your parish? What about you?
Online Sunday Bible Study Group
Please share your below reflections on the above Sunday Readings. May we be blessed by God's words as reflected in your thoughts and experience-sharing.
This Psalm sings of that same spiritual journey
ReplyDeletethat the prophet Isaiah speaks about in our 1st reading.
“I rejoiced when they said to me,
'Let us go the house of the Lord.'”(Psalm Verse 1)
Isaiah's destination is the same as the psalmist, the holy city of Jerusalem.
But why are we called to make that journey?
The psalmist says we are among the tribes of the Lord
called to give thanks to the Lord (Verse 4).
Isaiah says we go so that we may walk in His paths.
The psalmist says,
“Our feet are standing within your gates, Jerusalem.” (Verse 2)
We stand with the Israelites,
who already dream of the gathering together at some future time.
For us as Christians it is a vision of the end times,
when our spiritual pilgrimage leads us from earth to heaven.
St. Paul tells us how to prepare to meet the Lord when he comes again--
“Let us cast off deeds of darkness and put on the armor of light.”
And Jesus says in the Gospel, “Stay awake, for you do not know on which day the Lord will come.”
Jerusalem in the Psalm symbolizes for us
the end of our journey, being present with the Lord.
This is what God has planned for his people:
“May those who love you prosper!”(Psalm Verse 6)
“May peace by yours.”(Verse 8)
And for the church,
“May blessings be yours.”(Verse 9)
Amen
Yes, "...stay awake!" Remember, Brothers and Sisters of Jesus, that the way to heaven is one that we have to walk, hand in hand with the Savior Himself. It is the one way to stay awake and ready to respond to His incessant infusion of Grace into out hearts and souls. It is only when we are awake that we can spread the Word, feed the orphans, care for the sick, support the widows, transport the invalids, clean the houses of our old shut-ins, carry communion to the faithful who crave it, etc. So it is not enough to stay awake, but while awake, we have to obey the direction of God..."Do something!" We will be reminded again by Matthew that those who do nothing will not get to heaven. Read it in advance in Matthew, chapter 25. Yes, my fellow Christians, this is going to be a challenging year with the Gospel of Jesus Christ being drummed into us by our friend Matthew. Remember, it's not just symbolic, it is real. Do it.
ReplyDeleteThis Sunday we revisit this Psalm that
ReplyDeletesings of a spiritual journey to the house
of the Lord, the holy city of Jerusalem.
In our 1st reading the prophet Isaiah also
speaks about a journey to Zion, to the house
of God, His holy mountain. We too are called
to make that same journey, that we may walk
in His paths. Our psalmist says, “Our feet
are standing within your gates, Jerusalem.”
But why are we called to make that journey?
Firstly, we stand with the Israelites who already
dream of gathering together at some future time.
But secondly, for us as Christians the psalm is a
vision of the end times, when our spiritual
pilgrimage leads us from earth to heaven.
Our psalmist says we are called to give thanks
to the name of the Lord, but we note also there
are set up judgment seats at our destination.
For our journey ends where God resides, His
kingdom of heaven, and we must be prepared
to be in His presence. St Paul in our 2nd reading
cautions us to throw off the works of darkness,
and to put on the armor of light, to conduct
ourselves properly as in the day, to put on the
Lord Jesus Christ. Jesus himself says in this
Sunday's Gospel (Matthew 24:44), “You must
be prepared, for at an hour you do not expect,
the Son of Man will come.”
Jerusalem in the Psalm symbolizes for us the
end of our journey, being present with the Lord.
This is what God has planned for His people:
When we arrive in God's holy city, the kingdom
of God will come to us in its fullness, and we will
live in peace. As the psalmist tells us, we will be
filled with a desire to say, “I will pray for your good,”
“Peace be within you.”
Amen