Thursday 14 December

Thursday 14 December

Saint John of the Cross, Priest, Doctor Thursday of the 2nd week of Advent First reading - Isaiah 41:13-20 “I, the Lord, your God, I am holding you by the right hand; I tell you, ‘Do not be afraid, I will help you.’” This is the meaning of the presence of the Lord in our life. The Lord is not far away. He is at our side. He is holding our hand. We should not be afraid of anything. The Lord accompanies us in each situation. He is the redeemer. He is the giver for the needy. He will not abandon us. He transforms everything for us even will make rivers well up on barren heights. Let’s reflect: Do I recognize the presence of my redeemer in my life?
Wednesday 13 December

Wednesday 13 December

Saint Lucy, Virgin, Martyr Wednesday of the 2nd week of Advent “Lift your eyes and look”. This is the message which always misses us. We fail to lift our eyes and look. When we have difficulties, we don’t lift our eyes to look. It’s very important to do that. Because when we are in the midst our troubles, He comes to rescue us. He created the boundaries of the earth. He does not grow tired or weary, his understanding is beyond fathoming. He gives strength to the wearied, he strengthens the powerless. Young men may grow tired and weary, youths may stumble, but those who hope in the Lord renew their strength, they put out wings like eagles. In this God we have the hope. Let’s reflect: Am I putting my hope in God whose understanding is beyond fathoming?
Tuesday 12 December

Tuesday 12 December

Tuesday of the 2nd week of Advent Our Lady of Guadalupe First reading - Isaiah 40:1-11 For the preparation of the coming of the Lord, the prophet is putting forward three changes. The first is to make straight the way of the Lord. The second is to fill the valleys and the third is to make low every hill. We have to make straight our paths by being honest and sincere. And also being transparent. Then we have to fill our valleys of inferiorities with grace and love. We are not down with the limitations but we are rich with the graces we receive in our life. And finally, we have to be humble by lowing all mountains of pride in our life. These changes are fundamental and necessary. Let’s reflect: Am I making straight my ways to prepare a way to the Lord in humility and love?
Monday 11 December

Monday 11 December

Monday of the 2nd week of Advent Saint Damasus I, Pope First reading - Isaiah 35:1-10 “Let the wilderness and the dry-lands exult, let the wasteland rejoice and bloom, let it bring forth flowers like the jonquil, let it rejoice and sing for joy”. Everything changes with the presence of God. The presence of God brings grace and redemption. We are redeemed and the grace of God will work inside our hearts. Our weary hands will be strengthened. Our trembling knees will become steady. Our fears will be gone. The blind will eye, the deaf will hear and the lame will leap like a deer. The tongues of the dumb will sing for joy. There will be water gushing in the desert and streams in the wasteland. All these transformations happen because of the Lord. Let’s reflect: Am I part of the transformation which the Lord brought into this world?
Sunday 10 December

Sunday 10 December

2nd Sunday of Advent First reading - Isaiah 40:1-5,9-11 In this Sunday of Advent, we listen to the words of Prophet Isaiah which help us to prepare ourselves to receive the Lord. The first message is that our sins are atoned. Our sins are atoned by the Lord. He comes to redeem us. Then the second message is how to prepare the coming of the Lord to atone our sins. It is by filling the valleys of the lack of self-respect with self-respect, by changing every cliff of pride into plain of humility and by making straight our ways of life with honest. And the third message is what to do when the Lord is at hand. Then we have to go joyfully to the mountain to proclaim the presence of Lord in our midst. Let’s reflect: Do I recognize what the Lord did to me and to prepare for His coming?
Saturday 9 December

Saturday 9 December

Saturday of the 1st week of Advent Saint Juan Diego Cuauhtlatoatzin First reading - Isaiah 30:19-21,23-26 In this reading we can see how much the presence of the Lord in our midst will change our lives. When the Lord is present in our midst, the Word of God say, there will not be any more weeping. He will be our guide. When we don’t know where to turn, either to left or right, what decisions to make, where to go, our ears will hear these words behind us, “This is the way, follow it”. So, we will have no more doubts and fears when we recognize the presence of the Lord in our life. Then the Lord assists us in what we do. We sow the seeds, but the Lord brings the rain for the seeds. Moreover, He makes on every lofty mountain, on every hill, streams, and watercourses for us. Even more, the Lord dresses our wounds and heals the bruises. He does not look for the cause of our wounds, but He dresses the wounds. In other words, the presence of the Lord in our midst becomes a helping hand in everything we do. Let’s reflect: Do I recognize the helping hand of the Lord in my life?