1ST SUNDAY OF ADVENT
Psalter: Week 1 / (Violet)
Ps 25:4-5, 8-9, 10, 14
To you, O Lord, I lift my soul.
1st Reading: Jer 33:14-16
“The days are coming when I shall fulfill the promise that I made in favor of Israel and Judah.
In those days and at that time I will cause to sprout the shoot of righteousness from David‘s line; he will practice justice and righteousness in the land. In those days Judah will experience salvation and Jerusalem will live in safety. He will be called Yahweh-Our-Righteousness.
2nd Reading: 1 Thes 3:12 — 4:2
May the Lord increase, more and more, your love for each other and for all people, as he increases our love for you. May he strengthen you, internally, to be holy and blameless before God, our Father, on the day that Jesus, our Lord, will come with all his saints.
For the rest, brothers, we ask you, in the name of Jesus, the Lord, and we urge you, to live in a way that pleases God, just as you have learned from us. This you do but try to do still more. You know the instructions we gave you on behalf of the Lord Jesus.
Gospel: Lk 21:25-28, 34-36
Then there will be signs in sun and moon and stars, and on the earth anguish of nations, perplexed when they hear the roaring of the sea and its waves. People will faint with fear at the mere thought of what is to come upon the world, for the forces of the universe will be shaken. Then, at that time, they will see the Son of Man coming in a cloud with power and great glory.
So, when you see things begin to happen, stand erect and lift up your heads, for your deliverance is drawing near.
Be on your guard: don‘t immerse yourselves in a life of pleasure, drunkenness and worldly cares, lest that day catch you unaware, like a trap! For, like a snare, will that day come upon all the inhabitants of the earth. But watch at all times and pray, that you may be able to escape all that is going to happen, and to stand before the Son of Man.
Lectio Divina
Read: Days of justice, righteousness, salvation, and safety, as promised, are around the corner. Be watchful and pray in the midst of frightening events so that you will outlive them and be united with the Son of Man. In short, live in a way that pleases God.
Reflect: The good things of promise are not necessarily packaged in attractive envelopes; they often come in the midst of frightening events. This is good news: Even when the world seems to fall apart and the foundations of our lives are shaken, the people of promise who have lived a life good enough to please the Lord do not need to panic: in the midst of such tragedies, something new and good is being born for them.
Pray: Pray for the gift of discerning God‘s blessings even in the midst of trials and struggles.
Act: The season of Advent has begun. Plan how you want to observe this season.
Daily Reflection 2018
Bible Diary ® is a product of Claretian Publications, a division of Claretian Communications Foundation, Inc. (CCFI) which is a pastoral endeavor of the Claretian Missionaries in the Philippines that brings the Word of God to people from all walks of life. CCFI aims to promote integral evangelization and renewed spirituality that is geared towards empowerment and total liberation in response to the needs and challenges of the Church today.
CCFI is a member of Claret Publishing Group, a consortium of the publishing houses of the Claretian Missionaries all over the world: Bangalore, Barcelona, Buenos Aires, Chennai, Colombo, Dar es Salaam, Lagos, Madrid, Macao, Manila, Owerry, São Paolo, Varsaw , Yaoundé.
Biblical Texts are taken from Christian Community Bible, Catholic Pastoral Edition (57th Edition) The New English Translation for the ROMAN MISSAL
With permission from the EPISCOPAL COMMISION ON LITURGY of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines
Copyright © 2O17
Claretian Communications Foundation, Inc.
U.P. P.O. Box 4, Diliman,
1101 Quezon City, Philippines
Tel.: (63-2) 921-3984
Fax: (6352) 921-7429
Email: ccfi@claretianpublicationscom
This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Web: www.claretianph.com
