SUNDAY READINGS

 

1st Sunday of Advent.(Year 3/C.)

 

1st Reading:  Jer 33:14-16.

2nd Reading: 1 Thess 3:12- 4:2.

Gospel Reading:  Lk 21:25-28, 34-36.

 

 

Good stories are worth retelling and Advent begins the story of God's love for us all over again in the life and person of Jesus, as told by Luke. In the Old Testament readings for Advent we remember God's promises to his people in the past giving them hope in desperate times. In the Gospel passages we see the beginning of the fulfilment of these promises, encouraging us to trust in God's love and look forward to our liberation.

 

 

1st Reading.

 

Jeremiah offers a message of hope to a people who were in exile and their beloved city of Jerusalem under siege. His hope is based not on what he sees but on a promise made by God to all his people, north and south. The days are coming when this promise will be fulfilled for all even though they are now divided.

 

God will reconcile them through a human instrument, an individual who will come from a particular family, the family of David, and who will practice honesty and integrity in the land. The name of their city Jerusalem, meaning 'Foundation of Peace' will change to 'The Lord-our-integrity'.

 

These words of Jeremiah challenge us to look beyond our own times of distress and trouble and put our trust in a God who can bring change and new growth into our lives. We too shall be saved and dwell in confidence.

 

 

 

Gospel.

 

There is a familiar ring about this passage from Luke about the end time and the coming of the Son of Man. We had a similar passage from Mark just a fortnight ago offering a message of hope to a persecuted Christian community.

 

Jesus paints a bleak picture of the end of the world - on earth nations in agony, men dying of fear, the powers of heaven being shaken. These are dramatic words, which are meant to get our attention and cause us to reflect on their meaning. They are not meant to paralyse us with fear but energise us to action.

 

This passage is not really about the future but about the present and taking responsibility for our lives today - to watch ourselves lest we lose sight of our true destiny as followers of Jesus and be led astray by the cares of life.

 

If we are true to our calling and practice honesty and integrity in the land, we have nothing to fear when we see the signs of the end time. We can hold our heads high, and dwell in confidence, because our liberation is at hand. In the meantime let us endure our present troubles, bearing witness in hope, and remaining alert in prayer.

 


                                          Updated by Br. Dick Burke   22/11/2009.

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