The Beginning of the Church’s Calendar Year.
{Photo by Blake Cheek on Unsplash}
THE LITURGY OF THE WORD
First Reading: Jeremiah 33:14-16
Psalm: Ps 24:4-5. 8-9.10.14. “To you O Lord I lift my soul”
Second Reading: 1 Thessalonians 3:12 - 4:2
Gospel Acclamation: Ps 84:8
Gospel: Luke 21:25-28. 34-36++++Please listen to my audio recordings of the readings, prayers and reflections for the First Sunday Advent. Year C - Sunday, 2 December 2018 by clicking this link here: https://soundcloud.com/user-633212303/advent-c1-2nd-dec-2018-2018-episode-127 (Season III, EPISODE: 127)
The Church’s year has a timing different from the usual calendar year. This weekend, with the first Sunday of Advent, the new liturgical year for the Church begins. We have a three-year cycle of readings for each new year.
The Church’s liturgical year begins with Advent, in anticipation of the birth of Christ. Every year we focus upon and read continuously through a particular gospel.
The weekend cycle covers three years, year A (Matthew’s Gospel), Year B (Mark’s Gospel), and year C (Luke – which begins next week). If you are wondering why there isn’t a four-year cycle (with John’s Gospel as the fourth), it is because John’s Gospel, so rich in theology and the latest of the four gospels is spread through all the years and is especially fitting in the Lent, Easter and Christmas seasons.
The readings are fairly continuous, although parts are not included, largely due to repetition, or to fit the asymmetrical nature of the Bible into a neat three-year cycle. There may be some jumping about so that the old testament readings are often placed in the same weekend next to a gospel passage with similar, contrasting or expanded themes.
The Beauty of our Continuous Cycle of Readings.
In the Catholic Church, and in fact most of the mainstream Christian Churches, there is a set cycle of readings. Our “lectionary” is actually the Bible divided up into regular installments. The great thing about this is that, over a three-year cycle, we cover most of the old and new testament readings. The weekday readings are also a cycle (independent of the weekends) which covers a two year’s period. In the weekday cycle, the first reading changes and the gospel is the same for the same weekday of the year, irrespective of whether it be year 1 or 2).
The advantage of this way of choosing readings is twofold: we progressively hear from the breadth of the scriptures and not just the ‘old favourites.’ The other reason is that we let the Word of God “choose us” and not “us choose the word of God.” If we arbitrarily choose the readings for each weekend, it could open up the scriptures to all sorts of watering-down. For example, some texts are more challenging and less pleasant than others. How many times have you seen when a group is choosing the readings for a liturgy that they will skip over an option because the subject matter is “not pleasant” or deemed “irrelevant”. In fact, most scriptures are relevant, if we sit with them and ponder their often challenging meaning.
Admittedly, some passages seem more readily relevant than others, but this can be a great trap. Also, for the preacher, it could be a temptation to pick readings that are easier, more entertaining, or more engaging to preach upon. But, in the end, surely the Word of God needs to be let free to set the agenda and not us. Also, a challenging word from the bible can be neutralized if people think that the preacher or others have chosen a particular passage to “get a point across.” So, in our system, if a reading seems uncannily topical, it is not chosen by the minister, it is the action of the Spirit, who enlivens the Word of God contained in the Scriptures.
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Message from Archbishop:
LISTENING LEARNING PRAYING
An Advent Pastoral Letter
At a time when the average age of Catholics in Australia is 59, it has been good to celebrate the Year of Youth which is now coming to an end. Perhaps it would’ve been better to have a decade of youth, but the year was a promising start.
One thing that happened in the Year of Youth was the world-wide Synod of Bishops in Rome, which showed that Pope Francis has his finger on the pulse. It was different from other Synods because this time young people took part and spoke with their own voice. The rest of the Church, especially the bishops, was invited to listen.
Not just in Rome but everywhere, the Year of Youth has been a time for the whole Church to listen to the voices of young people who often feel unheard in the Church. The young inhabit different cultural, social and religious worlds than do those of us who are older. But their deepest hopes and longings, even if expressed in different accents, are familiar to us all, because they are so deeply human.
Those hopes and longings find voice in a special way through the days of Advent when the whole Church cries out, “Come, Lord Jesus!” In the end, all of us, young and old, yearn for Jesus, often in ways we scarcely recognise. Who of us doesn’t want peace and joy? We all do, because the human heart is made for them. But they can be found only in the encounter with the Risen Lord, apart from whom we find only cosmetic peace and cosmetic joy. But there’s nothing cosmetic in him, which is why the restless heart finds rest in him.
The Year of Youth has been a time for whole Catholic community – lay people, religious, deacons, priests, bishops – to reach out to meet young people where they are, walk with them on the way and listen to them as we take the road together. At times we’ve done this well, at other times less well, perhaps slipping back into ways we hoped we’d left behind. But everything that’s been done has been only the start of a long journey together.
As we enter the time of Advent and Christmas this year, I encourage you to engage afresh with family and friends, learning to listen to them in new ways, especially to those who are younger. We won’t always get it right, but the more we open the ears of our heart, the more we discover the power of listening to one another, as we allow God to transform us through other people. That’s the grace God offers through the season of Advent and Christmas.
Listening to each other means telling our stories to each other. We are often very private about our faith, but young people need to hear our story of faith, our journey of discipleship. You may think you have nothing much to share, but that’s not what others think, especially the young.
Telling the story of our faith can make us vulnerable, but there’s nothing to fear in that, because often to tell of our vulnerability is to tell the story of our true strength and the power of God’s mercy in our life. To love others means to hear their story, and to let them hear ours.
Love means being vulnerable and allowing others to be vulnerable before us.
Look for ways and moments, then, when you can speak of what God has done and is doing in your life. Bear witness in that way as you walk with young people on the journey of faith. You’ll be surprised by the effect it has, and you’ll grow stronger by your truth-telling. As I’ve said elsewhere: “If the young are given the right experience, then the Catholic Church is still the greatest show on earth and Jesus as irresistibly attractive now as he ever was”. You need to be part of that experience.
By the influence of the Holy Spirit, the Year of Youth in Australia has coincided with preparations for the Plenary Council in 2020. The Plenary Council is about the future of the Catholic Church in Australia – the whole Church, which is what the unusual word “plenary” means. Pope Francis often speaks of the need for us to become a “synodal” Church. That’s another unusual word, but it means a Church where God speaks not just to some of the bishops some of the time but to all the baptised all the time. In that sense, the Plenary Council has already begun, because it’s more a process than an event. The process has three phases – preparation, celebration and implementation; and the first phase of preparation is well and truly under way.
A Plenary Council isn’t just a talkfest or a political jamboree. It’s the whole Church gathered by the Holy Spirit in order to make decisions about the future according to the mind of God. This means we’re on a journey of discernment, seeking to listen to the voice of the Spirit to see what the Spirit is saying to us about the future.
As we prepare for the Plenary Council, we’re offered an opportunity to enter more deeply into dialogue with one another. In the Gospels, Jesus knows what is in a person (cf John 2:24) and how to listen to what the heart of the other is saying. Jesus doesn’t begin with a big pronouncement; he takes time to engage with people and usually starts with a question.
We too need to be a people who know how to engage with others as Jesus did, to listen before we speak, lest we talk at people rather than with them. As one theologian has said: “This pilgrim Church will be most faithful to its truest identity when all the baptised acknowledge the wisdom of listening before speaking, of learning before teaching, of praying before pronouncing” (Richard Gaillardetz, Jamison, 2013, p. 55).
So as the Year of Youth comes to an end, we remain faithful to the path traced by the Holy Spirit through these twelve months, listening before we speak, learning before we teach and praying before we pronounce. Following that path, we will come to recognise and adore the Child who is God-with-us, the newborn Saviour who is “joy for all the people”
(Luke 2:10).
Photo by Blake Cheek on Unsplash+++++
1st SUNDAY OF ADVENT – YEAR C –
ENTRANCE PROCESSION:
INTRODUCTION
In the Name of the Father (+) and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
The Lord be with you.
[Presider blesses the wreath with the sprinkling of holy water, using these words]:
Presider: 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.
Lord Jesus, you promise to keep us steady until the last day. .Christ Have Mercy.
You instruct us to be ever-watchful. Lord, Have Mercy.
Collect:
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Homily – Fr Paul Kelly:
Advent has begun.
A new church year has also begun.
It is a time of renewal and ‘new beginnings.”
From a church perspective, now is the best time to bring out those inspiring ‘new year resolutions’ (Christian-style), and for us to ask God to direct and guide us as we immerse ourselves deeper, (and deeper, each day), into the reality of God’s love, compassion , mercy and justice.
We have commenced our four-week preparation for the Feast of the Nativity of Our Lord. It is such a short time of preparation that we have to be vigilant, because the busyness of the season could easily mean that we “blink and miss it.”
The readings this weekend are all about preparing and being ‘ready’ and ‘staying awake’ and being watchful.
I particularly like Saint Paul’s words in the second reading:
“May the Lord be generous in increasing your love and make you love one another and the whole human race as much as we love you. And may he so confirm your hearts in holiness …. (And to) make more and more progress in the kind of life that you are meant to live: the life that God wants….” (JB)
The whole purpose, point and goal of our “lives of faith,” is to continue along the path of loving our God by means of deepening our love and reverence for one another.
Our attitudes, our thoughts, and actions are intended to foster each day an ever-deeper love, charity and concern for all our fellow brother and sister; that is, all people.
What a wonderful calling. To strive (with God’s grace), to be everything God desires us to be. We are called to grow daily in love, goodwill, peace, and forgiveness.
The readings also ask us some important questions: Do you believe that God will indeed fulfill his solemn promises to us? Do you truly believe that in the end, God will come in power and glory to establish in its fullness the Heavenly Kingdom of God’s peace, justice and mercy? Do you believe that ultimately, honesty, peace, integrity, and love will be at the centre of all creation, through Christ?
Come, Lord Jesus, teach us your truth and love. Establish your Kingdom in its fullness.
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References:
Fr Paul W. Kelly
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Archive of homilies and reflections: http://homilycatholic.blogspot.com.au
To contact Fr. Paul: paulwkelly68@gmail.com
To listen to my weekly homily audio podcast, please click this link here.
Please note - It is often a week or so Ahead: https://soundcloud.com/user-633212303/tracks
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Further information relating to the audio productions linked to this Blog:
“Faith, Hope and Love, A time of Christian worship and reflection” - Led by Rev Paul W. Kelly
Texts used in this programme are for the purposes of worship and prayer for listeners wherever you are.
Prayers and chants are taken from the English Translation of the Roman Missal, edition three, © 2010, The International commission on English in the liturgy.
Scriptures are from the New Revised Standard Version: © 1989, by the national council of Churches of Christ, USA. , //adaptations to conform with Catholic liturgical norms, © 2009, by the same.
Psalm verses are taken from “The Psalms: the Grail Translation. Inclusive Language Version.” ©1963, 1995, 2004 The Grail (England), published by HarperCollins. London.
Prayers of the Faithful are adapted from Robert Borg’s 1993 book “Together we pray”. Published in Sydney Australia By E.J. Dwyer. (out of print).
{ “Mass In Honour of St. Ralph Sherwin” -published 2011, Composed and Sung by Jeffrey M. Ostrowski
Featuring the….Gloria. COPYRIGHT @ 2018 CORPUS CHRISTI WATERSHED. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. www.ccwatershed.org/vatican/Ralph_Sherwin_Videos/
“Faith, Hope and Love” theme Hymn: Words, based on 1 Corinthians 13:1-13, set to original music © 1996 by Paul W. Kelly.
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May God bless and keep you.
First Sunday Advent. Year C
(Sunday, 2 December 2018) (EPISODE: 127 )
“To you O Lord I lift my soul”
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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Brothers and sisters, let us acknowledge our sins,
and so prepare ourselves to celebrate the sacred mysteries.
Kyrie eleison/ christe eleison/ kyrie eleison
May almighty God have mercy on us, forgive us our sins, and bring us to everlasting life. Amen.
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Memorial Acclamation
We proclaim your Death, O Lord, and profess your Resurrection until you come again.
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Advent 1
Eucharistic Prayer II
Communion side. pwk: LH
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Go forth, the Mass is ended.
