Holy Gospel of Jesus Christ according to Saint Luke 21, 25-28, 34-36
Jesus said to his disciples:
“There will be signs in the sun, the moon, and the stars,
and on earth nations will be in dismay,
perplexed by the roaring of the sea and the waves.
People will die of fright
in anticipation of what is coming upon the world,
for the powers of the heavens will be shaken.
And then they will see the Son of Man
coming in a cloud with power and great glory.
But when these signs begin to happen,
stand erect and raise your heads
because your redemption is at hand.
“Beware that your hearts do not become drowsy
from carousing and drunkenness
and the anxieties of daily life,
and that day catch you by surprise like a trap.
For that day will assault everyone
who lives on the face of the earth.
Be vigilant at all times
and pray that you have the strength
to escape the tribulations that are imminent
and to stand before the Son of Man.”
The Gospel of the Lord
There will be signs
1. Anxiety. In the course of your life, you will surely feel anxiety, but it’s something that we must fight against because anguish appears and squeezes our chest and leads us to feel we are drowning. Anguish, fear and anxiety can create a vicious triangle that may even lead us to spiritual death. Anxiety is caused by accumulation of things that you can’t solve or leave aside and that leads to fear and panic. Of course, you might also feel anxiety because you’d like everything to be solved immediately. Today, God invites you to take care of your life and to see if these negative feelings are haunting your heart.
2. Liberation. We are called to be free in life. During this year, you may have tied yourself to many things or people. Today, you are invited to break free from those bonds and live in freedom, because God wants you to be a person who walks along life with your head held high with dignity, knowing that you are direct your own life.
3. Stand. Our hope as Christians is that we know that Christ will come a second time. He is our hope, and He brings us peace, a unique peace that encourages us and fills us with his love. At the beginning of Advent, Jesus proposes that we remember that He is our hope and that He leads us to that virtuous circle of faith, hope, and charity.
Always remember that something good is on the way!
God bless you, be with you and protect you in the name of the Father, of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.
Blessing of the Advent Wreath
Lord our God,
we praise you for your Son, Jesus Christ:
he is Emmanuel, the hope of the peoples,
he is the wisdom that teaches and guides us,
he is the Savior of every nation.
Lord God,
let your blessing come upon us
as we light the candles of this wreath.
May the wreath and its light
be a sign of Christ’s promise to bring us salvation.
May he come quickly and not delay.
May these four candles light our lives with the gifts
that you’ve come to give to our souls and our families.
May St. Joseph and St. Mary help us during this time
to prepare our hearts to become a manger of light and life.
And with our eyes fixed on you and on your goodness,
may we praise God like the angels:
“Glory to God in the highest and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests.”
Amen
