How Prepared Are You?

Second Sunday of Advent  10 December 2017

First reading

Isaiah 40:1-5, 9-11

Comfort, O comfort my people, says your God.
Speak tenderly to Jerusalem, and cry to her
that she has served her term,
that her penalty is paid,
that she has received from the Lord’s hand
double for all her sins.

A voice cries out:
“In the desert prepare the way of the Lord,
make straight in the desert a highway for our God.
Every valley shall be lifted up,
and every mountain and hill be made low;
the uneven ground shall become level,
and the rough places a plain.
Then the glory of the Lord shall be revealed,
and all people shall see it together,
for the mouth of the Lord has spoken.”

Get you up to a high mountain,
O Zion, herald of good tidings;
lift up your voice with strength,
O Jerusalem, herald of good tidings,
lift it up, do not fear;
say to the cities of Judah, “Here is your God!”

See, the Lord God comes with might,
and his arm rules for him;
his reward is with him,
and his recompense before him.
He will feed his flock like a shepherd;
he will gather the lambs in his arms,
and carry them in his bosom,
and gently lead the mother sheep.

                

Second reading

Second Epistle of St. Peter 3:8-14

But do not ignore this one fact, beloved, that with the Lord one day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years are like one day. The Lord is not slow about his promise, as some think of slowness, but is patient with you, not wanting any to perish, but all to come to repentance. But the day of the Lord will come like a thief, and then the heavens will pass away with a loud noise, and the elements will be dissolved with fire, and the earth and everything that is done on it will be disclosed.

Since all these things are to be dissolved in this way, what sort of persons ought you to be in leading lives of holiness and godliness, waiting for and hastening the coming of the day of God, because of which the heavens will be set ablaze and dissolved, and the elements will melt with fire? But, in accordance with his promise, we wait for new heavens and a new earth, where righteousness is at home.

Therefore, beloved, while you are waiting for these things, strive to be found by him at peace, without spot or blemish.

Gospel

Mark 1:1-8

The beginning of the good news of Jesus Christ, the Son of God.

As it is written in the prophet Isaiah, “See, I am sending my messenger ahead of you, who will prepare your way; the voice of one crying out in the desert: ‘Prepare the way of the Lord, make his paths straight,’” John the baptizer appeared in the desert, proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. And people from the whole Judean countryside and all the people of Jerusalem were going out to him, and were baptized by him in the river Jordan, confessing their sins. Now John was clothed with camel’s hair, with a leather belt around his waist, and he ate locusts and wild honey. He proclaimed, “The one who is more powerful than I is coming after me; I am not worthy to stoop down and untie the thong of his sandals. I have baptized you with water; but he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit.”

Reflection

by Jessa Janelle Padilla

Today’s readings are all about waiting and preparing for the coming of the Messiah. How do we prepare when we expect someone to come and visit us?

In times when we are expecting a visitor to come to our home, we oftentimes do general house cleaning, prepare good meals, put new curtains in our windows, and pull out those antique or nice utensils, even new towels, bed sheets, pillowcases, and blankets to be used by our guest. It is how we show our hospitality, welcoming them wholeheartedly. In factories, if there is a scheduled inspection, they clean the entire surroundings and machines, put things in order, and gather their staff for a meeting in order to pass the inspection.

In the First Reading, Isaiah foretells a voice crying out in the desert to prepare the way of God. Such preparation is necessary to to see and reveal the glory of God.

In the Second Reading, Peter said that the Lord does not wish anyone to perish but would welcome all who will come in repentance when He comes back again at a time unknown to everyone. The message is for us to live each day like our last day. We should be thankful, helpful to those in need and repent of our sins so that we are always ready for the coming of the Lord and His judgement.

Our Gospel is all about John the Baptist who prepared the way of Jesus and baptized the people of Jerusalem with water. He encouraged them to acknowledge their sins and be baptized as as sign of their repentance, as a sign of getting ready for Jesus. He also told them that Jesus is mightier than him and will baptize them with the Holy Spirit. John is a perfect example of being humble, lifting up Jesus as someone above him.  

In our daily lives, how do we prepare the way for Jesus? How do we introduce Jesus to other people? My brothers and sisters, as we are now in the second Sunday of Advent,  let us be like St. John the Baptist who is humble and a good servant of God. Let us prepare ourselves for the Lord's Coming, introduce Him to one another, and encourage them to be watchful too.

Prayer

Lord Jesus, guide us in preparing Your way and teach us to be like St. John the Baptist, a humble witness proclaiming Your Coming. May this season of Advent help us to learn our purpose in life and be prepared for Your coming. This we ask through Christ Our Lord. Amen.

Genuine Christian

11th Sunday in Ordinary Time

June 16, 2013

First Reading: 2 Samuel 12:7-10, 13

Nathan said to David, ‘The Lord the God of Israel says this, “I anointed you king over Israel; I delivered you from the hands of Saul; I gave your master’s house to you, his wives into your arms; I gave you the House of Israel and of Judah; and if this were not enough, I would add as much again for you. Why have you shown contempt for the Lord, doing what displeases him? You have struck down Uriah the Hittite with the sword, taken his wife for your own, and killed him with the sword of the Ammonites. So now the sword will never be far from your House, since you have shown contempt for me and taken the wife of Uriah the Hittite to be your wife.”’


David said to Nathan, ‘I have sinned against the Lord.’ Then Nathan said to David, ‘The Lord, for his part, forgives your sin; you are not to die.’

Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 31:1-2,5,7,11

Second Reading: Galatians 2:16,19-21
We acknowledge that what makes a man righteous is not obedience to the Law, but faith in Jesus Christ. We had to become believers in Christ Jesus no less than you had, and now we hold that faith in Christ rather than fidelity to the Law is what justifies us, and that no one can be justified by keeping the Law. In other words, through the Law I am dead to the Law, so that now I can live for God. I have been crucified with Christ, and I live now not with my own life but with the life of Christ who lives in me. The life I now live in this body I live in faith: faith in the Son of God who loved me and who sacrificed himself for my sake. I cannot bring myself to give up God’s gift: if the Law can justify us, there is no point in the death of Christ.



Gospel: Luke 7:36-8:3
One of the Pharisees invited Jesus to a meal. When he arrived at the Pharisee’s house and took his place at table, a woman came in, who had a bad name in the town. She had heard he was dining with the Pharisee and had brought with her an alabaster jar of ointment. She waited behind him at his feet, weeping, and her tears fell on his feet, and she wiped them away with her hair; then she covered his feet with kisses and anointed them with the ointment.


When the Pharisee who had invited him saw this, he said to himself, ‘If this man were a prophet, he would know who this woman is that is touching him and what a bad name she has.’ Then Jesus took him up and said, ‘Simon, I have something to say to you.’ ‘Speak, Master’ was the reply. ‘There was once a creditor who had two men in his debt; one owed him five hundred denarii, the other fifty. They were unable to pay, so he pardoned them both. Which of them will love him more?’ ‘The one who was pardoned more, I suppose’ answered Simon. Jesus said, ‘You are right.’

Then he turned to the woman. ‘Simon,’ he said ‘you see this woman? I came into your house, and you poured no water over my feet, but she has poured out her tears over my feet and wiped them away with her hair. You gave me no kiss, but she has been covering my feet with kisses ever since I came in. You did not anoint my head with oil, but she has anointed my feet with ointment. For this reason I tell you that her sins, her many sins, must have been forgiven her, or she would not have shown such great love. It is the man who is forgiven little who shows little love.’ Then he said to her, ‘Your sins are forgiven.’ Those who were with him at table began to say to themselves, ‘Who is this man, that he even forgives sins?’ But he said to the woman, ‘Your faith has saved you; go in peace.’

Now after this he made his way through towns and villages preaching, and proclaiming the Good News of the kingdom of God. With him went the Twelve, as well as certain women who had been cured of evil spirits and ailments: Mary surnamed the Magdalene, from whom seven demons had gone out, Joanna the wife of Herod’s steward Chuza, Susanna, and several others who provided for them out of their own resources.


Reflection

By Fidji Rivera-Sarmiento

My grandfather recently passed on, mostly of old age and other health complications. But it was not a struggle as he breathed his last while we pray the Rosary. He was a famous pioneer dentist in our town. He was a high ranking member of the Knights of Columbus, and also an active Rotarian. He used to travel a lot, in and out of the country. To me, I remember him to love Baguio, bowling, and beer. Yes, never a day without a bottle of San Miguel Pale Pilsen. (I even saw a half-filled bottle inside the fridge the day he died.)


I also remember him to be someone who is not fond of going to Mass, while my grandmother never skipped a day during her active days. Lolo is not the religious kind of man. I do not recall seeing him going to confessions, until that day when a priest anointed him and Lola days before he departed. But every so often, I would see him quietly praying the Rosary. And truly, upon my Aunt’s confirmation, his personal Bible is very well used, especially the Book of Proverbs. Seeing the kind of life he lived, he must have followed those highlighted verses to the dot. He may not be perfect, as we all are, but I have heard several judgments from my relatives of how nominal of a Catholic he is. However personally, I believe that he was a better Christian than some of the people I know who regularly hears Mass. He was more of a Catholic when he generously offered his dental services for free, or when he attends to his less affording relatives. He was more of a follower of Christ when he prays the Rosary wholeheartedly, than those who merely mouth the prayers on auto pilot.

How many among us are genuinely Catholics? Are we guilty of thinking that we are a better Christian than some? That we are on top of our Novenas? That we know the saint of the day? That we are the better brand of religion than those who do not know Jesus? While we cannot even tame the judgmental kind of perception we throw around on some people?

Think again. Judging never did any good. It builds walls instead of bridges. It leads to gossiping, and it ends relationships. Cliché as it is, but only God can judge all of us; He who can see everything; He who is perfect.

If anyone thinks himself to be religious, and yet does not bridle his tongue but deceives his own heart, this man’s religion is worthless. (James 1:26)

Prayer

Dear Jesus, forgive us when we cannot tame our judgmental minds. We criticize too many times, but fail to recognize our own faults. We keep on correcting others but fall short in looking into our own misdoings. Jesus, help us to be humble so we do not feel that we are superior over others. May we learn to celebrate our individualities. Remind us to uplift the good in each other and not to condemn the bad. May we stop judging because other sin differently than us. Fill us with your Spirit of compassion and acceptance. Amen.