Sunday 27 November
1st Sunday of Advent Gospel - Matthew 24:37-44 The awaiting in the advent is pictured the householder who is watching over his over against burglars who can come anytime. His house is precious for him, he is not waiting for the burglar, but he is protecting his house. His love for his house is that keeps him awake. His love for his house is that keep him alert all the time. In other words, he loves his house all the time. Now let’s think about our awaiting in the advent. Our love for Jesus must keep us awake to respond to His love always. Our love for Jesus must keep us alert all the time not to ignore His love. Because any moment in which we are passive to His love are moments lost. This happened in the time of Noah. They keep doing what they like to do without responding to the word of God through Noah. When we chose what we see, we don’t see the flood. When we respond to the love of God, we chose God who sees the flood. The awaiting is choice to be alert to respond to the love of God and not keep doing my things. Let’s reflect: how am I preparing myself in this advent? By being alert about the love of God which comes all the moments of my life or by keep doing my things? Advent is the opportunity to be alert to respond to the love of God which comes continuously into our life.
Saturday 26 November
Saturday of week 34 in Ordinary Time or Saturday memorial of the Blessed Virgin Mary Gospel - Luke 21:34-36 “Stay awake, praying at all times for the strength to survive all that is going to happen, and to stand with confidence before the Son of Man.” Staying awake is being out of yourself and not closing yourself inside your comforts. Along with staying awake, Jesus adds praying. That means, you come out of yourself to be in union with God. The two steps in the process are important. The coming out of oneself and then relating to God. One is more challenging than the other. That is why Jesus is saying, “Watch yourselves, or your hearts will be coarsened with debauchery and drunkenness and the cares of life,”. Our selfishness always pushes us to remain inside ourselves, inside our desires, our pleasures, our interests… From there we must come out. Then we must relate to God. Here also there is the challenge to relate to God and not to any easy substitutes. There are lots of substitutes available which will give you the place of God. Watch yourselves! Let’s reflect: Is my prayer time, a time to come out of my comforts and to relate to Jesus crucified and risen?
Friday 25 November
Friday of week 34 in Ordinary Time Saint Catherine of Alexandria, Virgin, Martyr Gospel - Luke 21:29-33 “Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will never pass away.’” These words of Jesus tell us how much our life must be centred around the Word of God. In these days when we are mediating on the Second Coming of Jesus, we are meditating on realities which are eternal. It’s in the context we must listen these words of Jesus. The Word of God will never pass away because the Word of God is God himself. Often, we are not giving adequate importance to the Word of God in our life. Word of God will never pass away because the Word of God contains the love of God. Word of God will never pass away because the Word of God contains the life of God. Word of God will never pass away because the Word of God contains the light of God. Thus, the Word of God becomes the Way to follow, to accompany, to carry on. Let’s reflect: am I giving adequate importance to the Word of God so as to take the Word of God as the companion of my life?
Thursday 24 November
Saints Andrew Dũng-Lạc and his Companions, Martyrs on Thursday of week 34 in Ordinary Time Gospel - Luke 21:20-28 In this discourse of Jesus, we can see the fragility of the things around us that takes away our freedom. The things that put us in slavery. The things that put us in bondage. “When these things begin to take place, stand erect, hold your heads high, because your liberation is near at hand.’”. Understand the transitory nature of things around us. Sometimes we give unnecessary importance to these things. And we become dependent on these things. Everything except the Son of Man vanishes. The power and glory of the love of God will always remain. And when you see the strength of the love of God, you can hold your heads high, and you can attain your liberation. There will be lots of things we like or we keep in our life, but Jesus should be one who is always at the centre of my life. Let’s reflect: does Jesus have the central place in my life or other transitory things are occupying that place?