Here we invite you to take time for yourself in personal prayer. The following spiritual reflection offers words and images which we hope will evoke for you an experience of God.

By: Sister Ruth Maier

“Prepare the way of the Lord.”

Opening Prayer

Heavenly Father, our hearts desire the warmth of Your love and our minds are searching for the light of Your Word.

Increase our longing for Jesus, the Christ, our Savior, and give us the strength to grow in love, that the dawn of His coming may find us rejoicing in His presence and welcoming the light of His truth.

We ask this in the name of Jesus, the Lord. Amen.

Scripture

Matthew 24: 37 - 44

Jesus said to His disciples: “The coming of the Son of Man will repeat what happened in Noah’s time. In the days before the flood people were eating and drinking, marrying and being married, right up to the day Noah enterer the Ark. They were totally unconcerned until the flood came and destroyed them. So it will be 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 meal; one will be taken and one will be left.

Stay awake, therefore! You cannot know the day your Lord is coming.

“Be sure of this: if the owner of the house knew when the thief was coming he would keep a watchful eye and not allow his house to be broken into. You must be prepared in the same way. The Son of Man is coming at the time you least expect.”

Reflection

Once again we stand on the threshold of Advent – celebrating a four-week journey to Christmas: the birth of Jesus, the Christ, the Son of God in human flesh. These four weeks are to remind us that it was 4,000 years that the people of Israel waited for the coming of the Messiah.

And each year we find it strange that on this first day of Advent, the Church’s Liturgy calls us not to Christmas but rather to the second coming of Jesus at the end of the world.

“Stay awake; Be prepared;” for we do not know the day nor the hour when this will happen.

Jesus has been here, born of Mary, some 2,000 years ago and we will celebrate His birthday on December 25.

He suffered, died and was raised to new life. He ascended back to His Father and promised to return at the end of the world.

Matthew envisions the world being carried away as in the day of Noah. The people of Noah’s day had been destroyed because they had not been faithful to God. Noah had listened to God’s call. He built an Ark and when the rains came, he and his family were safe and they survived.

As we get ready for the great celebration of Jesus’ birth, Matthew reminds us that Jesus is coming again, that we know not the “the day nor the hour,” nor the way in which God reign will happen. So warns Matthew – stay vigilant, prepare by living as faithful disciple of Jesus.

As we go forth in this new Liturgical Year, the Church will focus on Matthew’s Gospel, drawing us into a greater participation in our daily living into the redemptive mystery of Jesus.

Take some time today, this week, to consider places in your life where you need more understanding, more compassion, more reconciliation, more tenderness.

Be awake -- Prepare the way for your Lord.

Closing Prayer

Ever-living God, You fill us with wonder and awe; we know not the time nor place of Your return and yet we trust in Your promise.

Lead us toward Your kingdom as we await the coming of Jesus, Your Son and our Brother. Amen

Welcoming the Holy