First Sunday Advent. Year B - Sunday, December 3, 2023
(EPISODE:450)
Readings for Sunday, 3 December 2023
FIRST READING: Isa 63:16b-17, 19b; 64:2-7
Ps 80:2-3, 15-16, 18-19. "Lord make us turn to you; let us see your face and we shall be saved"
SECOND READING: 1 Cor 1:3-9
GOSPEL ACCLAMATION (Ps 85:8). Alleluia, alleluia! Lord, show us your mercy and love, and grant us your salvation. Alleluia!
GOSPEL: Mark 13:33-37
Image Credit- Shutterstock Licensed. Stock Photo ID: 2324788325 - DINKELSBUHL, GERMANY - AUGUST 28, 2019: Nachtwachter (Night Watchman). Important information: Editorial Use Only. Photo Contributor - Matyas Rehak.
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Please listen to the audio recordings of the Mass – (Readings, prayers and homily) for First Sunday Advent. Year B - Sunday, December 3, 2023, by clicking this link here: https://soundcloud.com/user-633212303/faith-hope-and-love-the-first-sunday-of-advent-year-b-episode-450/s-nJhYrK4nMUi (EPISODE:450)
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Prologue:
Keep watch… stay awake… be prepared…..These instructions remind us that surely, countless Christ-filled moments and Kingdom-building moments come our way every day – and in so many moments through the hours of each day……. and who knows how many are missed. Perhaps sometimes we are aware of how we missed these Christ-filled moments …..or feel that we responded poorly to them because we were on the back foot and not ready and so, as this Advent time begins, we remain alert and awake. .
During the season of Advent we will be featuring, here, a Hymn for Advent that I composed. entitled: "O Come, Lord. " -
This hymn is dedicated to the Memory of (my friend since early school days… Paolo Mario - (Paul) -Giacomantonio (1968-2020). May he rest forever in the arms of Our Lord.
- And in this Advent time… we pray: ""Oh Come, Lord Jesus. Come and Save us!" –
Homily: "Readiness" - (Fr Paul)
Saint Augustine once wrote: "It is by design that Our Lord hid the time and date of the last day from us. It is so that we would be on the lookout for Christ every day of our lives. "
If we were somehow to know when the day of the Lord will come, we would be focusing on the deadline. the endpoint. Instead of being busy with our work along the way. The Kingdom is not a conclusion point. The Kingdom is a way to live and act in each moment of life here and now.
No wonder many completely missed the first coming of the Messiah, some two thousand years ago. they were looking into the past or the distant future and completely missed what was happening in the present! They were also looking for the wrong signs. They expected a warrior king. but the one who arrived was a suffering servant. He came and went and many were not awake to his presence among them. The pattern of watchfulness is the same as Christ's passion and death. On that night before, the disciples fell asleep, they were unprepared when Our Lord was arrested under cover of darkness. and unprepared and shocked, despite Our Lord's constant teachings to them and his equally strident warnings to prepare themselves for the shocks and ordeals ahead, - and – unprepared - they became frightened and confused and ran away. abandoning our Lord. Peter was also not as ready as he needed to be - when he was accused of knowing Christ and, in the pressure of the moment, desperately and unthinkingly denied Christ three times before the cockcrow.
And at dawn. the Lord was sent to be tried. By contrast. Jesus was ready at all times.
We must be too. Alert and always ready to live the gospel.
In the Gospel, Jesus challenges us to "stay awake ", to pay attention. But, pay attention to what? TO the things of the Kingdom around us. Being attentive to our lives. Looking at our family member or friend in the eye when they're telling us something. Notice the look of worry or frustration on our friend's brow. Taking time to savour the things around us that we see and hear and taste, and staying alert for news of hardships suffered by people in our own community or even further afield.
Advent is a time to be watchful and see if we are ready; Ready to welcome Christ in so many ways.
And meanwhile, as Saint Paul says in the second reading: "You will not be without any of the gifts of the Spirit while you are waiting for our Lord Jesus Christ to be revealed. (1 Corinthians 1:7)
Am I willing to let God be the potter, and myself be the clay in his hands. shaping my life? We believe in God, but do we trust in God sufficiently to allow God to mould us and shape us in different directions than our own wilfulness– to step back from the control-seat and let God steer us a bit more. To open ourselves to being transformed by God's hand.
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References:
Fr Paul W. Kelly
Bergant, D. and Fragomeni, R. (1999). Preaching the new lectionary. Year B. Collegeville, Minn. : Liturgical Press.
Birmingham, M. (2000). Word & worship workbook for year B. New York, N. Y. : Paulist Press. P 55-56
Link, M. (2000). Mission. Praying Scripture in a Contemporary Way. Year B. Allen, Tex. : Resources for Christian Living
Image Credit- Shutterstock Licensed. Stock Photo ID: 2324788325 - DINKELSBUHL, GERMANY - AUGUST 28, 2019: Nachtwachter (Night Watchman). Important information: Editorial Use Only. Photo Contributor - Matyas Rehak.
First Sunday Advent. Year B (Sunday, December 3, 2023) (EPISODE: 450)
The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Spirit be with you all.
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{{May Our Lord's gift of dignity and community enliven you.}} welcome everyone, we gather - Listening to God's Word. On this First Sunday Advent. Year B
[BLESSING OF THE wreath]:
As we begin our Advent Journey, in preparation for Christmas,
We bless this Advent Wreath.
May the sprinkling of this water
remind all of us gathered here
of our first sharing in the grace of baptism.
During this time of Advent
may we prepare for the Lord's coming
with open hearts and minds.
May this wreath be a symbol to us
(+) of this time of prayerful watching and waiting
For the coming of the Lord.
{Presider now blesses the wreath and sprinkles it with holy water}
We now light the candle for the 1st Sunday of Advent . The "Prophet's Candle" Symbol of Hope. Reminding us that Jesus is coming.
{Presider takes taper and lights first candle on Advent wreath}
Lord Jesus your coming was proclaimed by the prophets of old. Lord Have Mercy.
You are the potter, and we are the clay, the work of your hands. Christ, Have Mercy.
You instruct us to be ever watchful. Lord, Have Mercy.
(NO Gloria in Advent)
COLLECT- (First Sunday Advent. Year B)
Let us pray,
(To meet Christ at his coming).
Grant your faithful, we pray, almighty God, the resolve to run forth to meet your Christ with righteous deeds at his coming, so that, gathered at his right hand, they may be worthy to possess the heavenly Kingdom. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit. God, forever and ever.
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Ps 80:2-3, 15-16, 18-19. "Lord make us turn to you; let us see your face and we shall be saved"
GOSPEL ACCLAMATION (Ps 85:8). Alleluia, alleluia! Lord, show us your mercy and love, and grant us your salvation. Alleluia!
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PREFACE: Advent I
Eucharistic Prayer II
Communion side. pwk:
(theme variation: 2 )
(post version: v2-short)
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Prayer after Communion- (First Sunday Advent. Year B)
Let us pray.
May these mysteries, O Lord, in which we have participated, profit us, we pray, for even now, as we walk amid passing things, you teach us by them to love the things of heaven and hold fast to what endures. Through Christ our Lord.
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{May God's love, strength, mercy and kindness guide you all this week.}
The Lord be with you.
R/: And with your spirit.
May almighty God bless you, the Father, (+) and the Son and the Holy Spirit. Amen.
Go in peace, glorifying the Lord by your life.
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Archive of homilies and reflections: http://homilycatholic.blogspot.com.au
To contact Fr. Paul, please email: paulwkelly68@gmail.com
To listen to my weekly homily audio podcast, please click this link here: https://soundcloud.com/user-633212303/tracks
You are welcome to subscribe to Fr Paul's homily mail-out by sending an email to this address: paulkellyreflections+subscribe@googlegroups.com
Further information relating to the audio productions linked to this Blog:
"Faith, Hope and Love - Christian worship and reflection " - Led by Rev Paul Kelly
"O Come. Lord. (Advent) " - In Memory of Paolo Mario (Paul) Giacomantonio (1968-2020).
By Paul W. Kelly. Based on the Ancient church "O Antiphons " of Advent.
Arranged and sung, with additional lyrics, By Stefan Kelk, 2020.
[ Production - KER - 2023]
"Quiet Time." Instrumental Reflection music. Written by Paul W Kelly. 1988, 2007. & This arrangement: Stefan Kelk, 2020.
Sound Engineering and editing - P.W. Kelly.
Microphones: - Shure Motiv MV5 Digital Condenser.
Editing equipment: -- MixPad Multitrack Studio Recording Software v10.49 (NCH Software).
NCH – WavePad Audio Editing Software. Masters Edition v 17.63 (NCH Software)
Sound Processing: iZotope RX 10 Audio Editor (Izotope Inc.)
