Advent - A Time to Invite God Anew Into Our Lives

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Amiciel said:
As we all know, the Baptism of the Lord is the first mystery of the *Luminous Mysteries *of the Holy Rosary. In addition to the links provided above, following are some thoughts to refresh us on the importance of this great mystery of our Faith:

A Reflection by Pope Saint John Paul II:
www.ewtn.com/Devotionals/prayers/rosary/Baptism.htm

Below are excerpts from a reflection on the Baptism of the Lord, found in the Euchalette, 01/13/13, by Jess P. Balon:

The Meaning of Jesus’ baptism in the Jordan:

"Jesus did not need to receive John’s baptism. He needed no conversion or repentance, since he was absolutely sinless. He did not need to prepare himself to welcome the Kingdom either … Actually, he himself was the beginning of the Kingdom of God on earth! And yet we know that it was Jesus himself who insistently asked to be baptized by John. Why? Because he knew that the reception of that baptism was part of the Father’s plan for him…

While for all other people who have received it, John’s baptism was a preparation for the Kingdom, for Jesus it was an inauguration of the Kingdom, the formal beginning of his mission of salvation.

The baptism received by Jesus, therefore, though externally similar to that received by thousands of others, was essentially different, actually unique. It had a saving dimension / effect, not for Jesus, but for all men." (p. 4).

The baptism of Jesus and our baptism:

"The baptism received by Jesus, then, was also different from the one through which we have become Christians. All of us need to be baptized in order to be re-established in a filial relationship with God. Each of us needs to become by grace what Jesus Christ is by nature: a child of God.

The baptism of Jesus did not bring about any change or purification in him. It only manifested what he was: God’s beloved Son. His baptism was a revelation, an epiphany. The sacrament of baptism that we have received, instead, has brought about in us a radical change: from sinful and unworthy creatures, it has made us adopted children of the Father, brothers / sisters of Christ, and temples of the Holy Spirit…

Our baptism, however, has also a fundamental similarity with that of Jesus in its commitment aspect. Jesus’ baptism, in fact, was, on his part, a formal commitment to fulfill the Father’s will / plan to the very end. Such a commitment is also part of our baptism. We have to remember this and live up to the commitment we undertook, with the same dedication and fidelity shown by Jesus." (p.4).
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Hello all,

Since we already have this forum thread on Advent which Amiciel opened for Advent 2015, I will be posting here from time to time Advent thoughts/reflections for ADVENT 2016. You are invited to post Advent reflections which may be helpful for all of us. Thank you.

December 4, 2016 - 2nd Sunday of Advent:

Collect (Opening Prayer):
“Almighty and merciful God,
may no earthly undertaking hinder those
who set out in haste to meet your Son,
but may our learning of heavenly wisdom
gain us admittance to his company.
Who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
one God, for ever and ever.”

Today’s Scripture readings and reflections:
usccb.org/bible/reflections/
ymlp232.net/archive_gbmbuqgjgu.php
www.catholicculture.org/culture/liturgicalyear/calendar/day.cfm?date=2016-12-04

Sharing this reflection from today’s Euchalette, Second Sunday of Advent, October 4, 2016, p.4:

ADVENT: A JOURNEY OF TWO LOVES

"Spiritual authors have compared the season of Advent to a journey toward the grotto of Bethlehem where we can behold the radiant face of Baby Jesus. This is a beautiful image that can be of great help to us who wish to live this holy season with purposeful intensity. But this is only half of the story. The greater and more important half is the “better half” of God’s journey toward us. This is what has made Christmas a reality, for** CHRISTMAS IS THE CONVERGING POINT OF TWO JOURNEYS: GOD’S JOURNEY AND OURS! **

God’s journey is the journey of the shepherd who leaves the ninety-nine sheep in their safe pen and goes in search of the one that got lost – a journey that started millennia back in time and which exposed the shepherd-God to so many disappointments and rejections. He did not have to subject Himself to those hardships.** It was His divine love for all human beings which impelled Him to undertake that journey.**

It was the journey of God to Ur to look for Abram and snatch him away from the claws of paganism; the journey that led the Lord to cross the desert and look for Moses in order to wrest His oppressed people from the slavery of Egypt. It was the journey of God’s eternal Word into the limitations of human nature when he became one of us – the journey of the impassible, all-sufficient, immortal God into the fetters of the human condition that is characterized by suffering, misery, and death.

But God’s long and pain-filled journeys will not be beneficial to us, sinful human beings, if we, too, do not journey toward Him. We must realize the wretched situation in which we have thrust ourselves through our unwise choices, our pride, our lust, our lack of honesty and of everything that is good and holy. And having realized that, like the prodigal son, we should rise and walk the road of conversion that leads to the house of the Father."
(Continued in next post.)
 
October 4, 2016 - Second Sunday of Advent- Continued:

ADVENT: A JOURNEY OF TWO LOVES

"Our journey back to God means severing our ties with the web of sinful habits that may have enmeshed us, and aiming decisively to live the life of freedom as God’s children. We must bridge the gap between our good intentions and consequent actuations. We must turn our back on the fogginess of an aimless and uncommitted existence and move toward a life of dedication to living the demands of our baptism. For some, they may even need to step out of the darkness of a sinful existence** into the radiance of a life lived in joyful obedience to God’s law**. In short,** our life must be a journey toward the rising Sun of God’s presence,** seeking the light of His grace, the balm of His forgiveness, the warmth of His embrace, the joy and peace of His friendship.

As for those who may honestly feel that they are not great sinners, Advent has a challenge for them, too – the challenge to open their hearts, in imitation of Mary Most Holy, and let the Holy Spirit mold in them the Word made fl esh. This is the essential condition for Christmas to happen, for** Christ will be born only in the lives of those who open wide their hearts to him as Mary of Nazareth did**. This is where the two journeys end and the great encounter/ embrace begins." (Euchalette, Dec. 4, 2016, p.4.)
 
2nd Sunday of Advent, December4, 2016, Reflections from the today’s Euchalette p. 1:

"As we progress in our spiritual pilgrimage toward the shrine of Jesus’ Crib, on this Second Sunday of Advent, St. John the Baptist reminds us that we need to prepare ourselves adequately for our encounter with the Lord. We must prove the seriousness of our resolve to change for the better, each of us in our own situation.

St. Paul gives us some practical tips as to what this preparation can mean, as he invites us to live in perfect harmony with one another, accepting one another as Christ has accepted us. Only on these conditions shall we be able to glorify God with one voice and one heart as loving children should, particularly in this Advent season…"

ADVENT From EWTN:
www.ewtn.com/advent/
 
December 11, 2016 - 3rd Sunday of Advent (Gaudete Sunday):

Collect (Opening Prayer):
“O God, who see how your people
faithfully await the feast of the Lord’s Nativity,
enable us, we pray,
to attain the joys of so great a salvation
and to celebrate them always
with solemn worship and glad rejoicing.
Through our Lord Jesus Christ, you Son,
who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
one God, for ever and ever.”

Today’s Scripture readings and reflections:
usccb.org/bible/reflections/
ymlp232.net/archive_gbmbuqgjgu.php
www.catholicculture.org/culture/liturgicalyear/calendar/day.cfm?date=2016-12-11

"The Third Sunday of Advent is also known as Gaudete Sunday. The name is derived from the first word of the Latin Entrance Antiphon of the Mass, i.e., Gaudete, or rejoice!

Gaudete Sunday serves as a breaker during Advent (similar to Laetare Sunday in Lent). Halfway through an otherwise penitential season, it calls the faithful to rejoice because the Lord is now near.

More on Gaudete Sunday:
www.newadvent.org/cathen/06394b.htm
www.ewtn.com/library/Theology/domgaudete.htm

ADVENT From EWTN:
www.ewtn.com/advent/
 
grateful_child said:
December 11, 2016 - 3rd Sunday of Advent (Gaudete Sunday):

Collect (Opening Prayer):
“O God, who see how your people
faithfully await the feast of the Lord’s Nativity,
enable us, we pray,
to attain the joys of so great a salvation
and to celebrate them always
with solemn worship and glad rejoicing.
Through our Lord Jesus Christ, you Son,
who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
one God, for ever and ever.”

Today’s Scripture readings and reflections:
usccb.org/bible/reflections/
ymlp232.net/archive_gbmbuqgjgu.php
www.catholicculture.org/culture/liturgicalyear/calendar/day.cfm?date=2016-12-11

ADVENT From EWTN:
www.ewtn.com/advent/
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Sharing this reflection from today’s Euchalette, Third Sunday of Advent, December 11, 2016, p.1:

REJOICE! THE LORD IS COMING!

"On this Third Sunday of Advent “Gaudete Sunday” – St. Paul invites us to rejoice. He reminds us to remove from our hearts all anxiety and fear, for the Lord is near. In the Gospel, St. John the Baptist exhorts us to be generous, fair and service-minded.

These are attitudes that make our preparation for Christmas practical and fruitful. In this season of joyful expectation, we ever more open our hearts to welcome the Lord Jesus. Such is the basic disposition he needs to find in us so that he may bring about in us that radical renewal we are all yearning for…"
 
December 18, 2016 - 4th Sunday of Advent:

Collect (Opening Prayer):
“Pour forth, we beseech you, O Lord,
your grace into our hearts,
that we, to whom the Incarnation of Christ your Son
was made known by the message of an Angel,
may by his Passion and Cross
be brought to the glory of his Resurrection.
Who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
one God, for ever and ever.”

Today’s Scripture readings and reflections:
usccb.org/bible/reflections/
ymlp232.net/archive_gbmbuqgjgu.php
www.catholicculture.org/culture/liturgicalyear/calendar/day.cfm?date=2016-12-18

ADVENT From EWTN:
www.ewtn.com/advent/
 
Sharing this reflection from today’s Euchalette, 4th Sunday of Advent, December 18, 2016, p.1:

TRUST IN GOD AND FOLLOW HIM

"On this Fourth Sunday of Advent, we are invited to follow St. Joseph’s example. Like him, we are asked to place ourselves totally at the service of God in the fulfillment of His plan of salvation. It is only by doing so that we will be able to experience real peace and be assured of our final success.

The Lord, who created the world without us, could easily bring His plan to completion without us. But this is not what He usually does. He elevates us to the role of “partners” in the fulfillment of His plan, out of appreciation for our dignity, freedom, and other qualities that He has endowed us with. If we say “Yes,” His sure success will also be our success."
 
December 25 - Solemnity of the Nativity of the Lord (Christmas):

Collect (Opening Prayer At the Vigil Mass):
“O God, who gladden us year by year
as we wait in hope for our redemption,
grant that, just as we joyfully welcome
your Only Begotten Son as our Redeemer,
we may also merit to face him confidently
when he comes again as our Judge.
Who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
one God, for ever and ever.”

Today’s Scripture readings and reflections:
usccb.org/bible/reflections/
ymlp232.net/archive_gbmbuqgjgu.php
www.catholicculture.org/culture/liturgicalyear/calendar/day.cfm?date=2016-12-25

Collect (Opening Prayer at Mass during the day):
“O God, who wonderfully created the dignity of human nature
and still more wonderfully restored it,
grant, we pray,
that we may share in the divinity of Christ,
who humbled himself to share in our humanity.
Who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
one God, for ever and ever.”

Note: “THE NEXT days of the Octave of the Nativity of the Lord show that the Nativity of the Lord is also a feast of Christ’s final coming, when he will be surrounded by his angels and saints, represented by St. Stephen [December 26], St. John the Apostle [December 27], and the Holy Innocents [December 28].” (Ordo.)

ADVENT From EWTN:
www.ewtn.com/advent/​

Thank you, Lord for the gift of your Son,
for all the blessings you have given us this year,
in the past, and for all the blessings you will be giving us
in the coming years! Amen.

Wishing you all
a very Blessed Christmas
and a Happy New Year! 🙂
 
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