Reflection Starter from George H. W. Bush

"We are a nation of communities . . . a brilliant diversity spread like stars, like a thousand points of light in a broad and peaceful sky." – George H. W. Bush

"Come Thou Long-expected Jesus"

As we continue our Sunday celebration, I offer this version of "Come Thou Long-expected Jesus":

First Sunday of Advent

Today the Church celebrates the First Sunday of Advent. The assigned readings are Jeremiah 33:14-16; 1 Thessalonians 3:12--4:2; and Luke 21:25-28, 34-36. The Responsorial Psalm is Psalm 25 (Psalm 25:4-5, 8-10, 14).

For one version of the Responsorial Psalm set to music, please visit:

YouTube: Responsorial Psalm - Psalm 25 To You O Lord I lift my soul

The Gospel reading is as follows:

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."

Reflections on these readings:

Oblates of St. Francis de Sales: Salesian Sunday Reflections: First Sunday of Advent (December 2, 2018)

Oblates of St. Francis de Sales: Sundays Salesian: First Sunday of Advent (December 2, 2018)

Community in Mission: A Recipe for Readiness - A Homily for the First Sunday of Advent (1 DEC 18)

The Deacon's Bench: Strike a match: Homily for December 2, 2018, 1st Sunday of Advent (1 DEC 18)

The Sacred Page: The Sacred Page: Soberly Awaiting the Second Coming: Readings for 1st Sunday of Advent (29 NOV 18)

The Sacred Page: The Second Coming of Jesus: Be Prepared (The Mass Readings Explained) (26 NOV 18)

St. Paul Center: Heads Up: Scott Hahn Reflects on the First Sunday of Advent

Word on Fire: A New Fixed Star (Cycle C * Advent * Week 1)

Spirituality of the Readings: Why do we have Advent? (The First Sunday of Advent C)

In Exile: Advent - A Time to Learn How to Wait (The First Sunday of Advent C)

Let the Scriptures Speak: Between Two Advents (The First Sunday of Advent C)

The Word Engaged: A Time of Childhood (The First Sunday of Advent C)

Historical Cultural Context: Vigilance and Prayer (The First Sunday of Advent C)

Thoughts from the Early Church: Commentary by Gregory the Great (The First Sunday of Advent C)

Thank You, Lord

Thank you, Lord, for the light You give us through faith.

Msgr. Pope on Seeing Jesus by Faith

"As human beings we are very visual; there is a certain demand of our flesh to see on its own terms. But of course God, who is pure spirit, will not be seen in this way.

"How can the human eye perceive what is spiritual? It is not designed to do so. We cannot see God as God any more than we should expect to be able to see justice sitting down to lunch with humility. These are not physical concepts; they are metaphysical ones. We may see evidence of their existence, but we do not see them physically - so also with God. We see a lot of evidence of His existence, but we do not see Him with our earthly eyes.

"There is a well-known (but inaccurate) saying, 'Seeing is believing.' Actually it is not; seeing is only seeing. When we see things physically, one of two things happens, either of which eliminates the existence of any sort of faith:

1. We see something and accept it as true, in which case faith is no longer necessary, for it is not necessary to believe what we can plainly see.
2. We scoff or act bemused and continue to disbelieve, saying (for example when we see a magic trick), 'There's a way of doing that; it's just an illusion.'

In either case, faith (human or supernatural) is set aside when we see something with our earthly eyes. 

"Therefore, as Scripture insists over and over again, faith is not a matter of seeing in a physical way/"

In a recent commentary, Monsignor Charles Pope (pastor of Holy Comforter-Saint Cyprian Parish, Washington, DC) reflected on how, although Jesus is the Light of the world, we see Him in the 'darkness' of faith and understand Him most clearly by faith.
 
To access Msgr. Pope's complete post, please visit:

Community in Mission: Pondering the Night of the Senses and the Paradox That We See Farther in the Darkness (19 NOV 18)

Reflection Starter from Pope Francis

"Advent is the time to welcome the Lord who comes to meet us, the time to look ahead, and to prepare ourselves for Christ's return." - Pope Francis

The Surfaris: "Wipe Out"

As this blessed week draws to a close, I offer this version of The Surfaris presenting "Wipe Out":

Dighton Rock

"For more than three centuries, the mysterious carvings on a stone in a Massachusetts river have had something to tell us. Will we ever get the message?

"Here's what we know for certain: Sometime before 1680, someone left a 40-ton note in what is now Berkley, Massachusetts. Who it was remains a mystery, as does whatever message he or she wanted to convey - and pretty much everything else about the enigmatic Dighton Rock."

A recently updated Yankee Magazine essay reflected on the origin and meaning of Dighton Rock.

To access a copy of this Yankee post, please visit:

Yankee: New England Today: The Mystery of Dighton Rock (29 OCT 18)

Holy Father's Prayer Intention for December

The Holy Father's prayer intention for December is:

Evangelization Intention (In the Service of the Transmission of Faith): "That people, who are involved in the service and transmission of faith, may find, in their dialogue with culture, a language suited to the conditions of the present time."

Thank You, Lord

Thank you, Lord, for insirations to praise and thank You.

On One Way Out of a Spiritual Rut

"'It's strange and wonderful to see what the Lord reveals to us when we quiet our chatter and let him in, let him be who he is.'
"Rarely is the spiritual life a continuous road of upward progression. And though we will never 'make it' on this side of eternity, it can be quite frustrating to find ourselves in the same old rut, facing the same fears, doubts, questions we had thought previously conquered.
"I recently found myself once again in such a rut. Facing the same doubts, questions, bitterness, and distrust that had plagued me before, I stood before the Lord brokenhearted and weary. Perhaps the one difference I noticed, however, was that I knew the change had to come from me: it wasn't God who was absent from me, but I who had grown absent from God. I had a suspicion that my weariness and frustration were coming from a place of self-centeredness, that for too long, once again, I was placing before the Lord far too many requests and questions and little else.
"Determined to leave that place, I made God a promise: Lord, for thirty days I will ask nothing of you, not the simplest thing. For thirty days I will only surrender my cares into your hands, praise you and thank you. My prayer was to find my way back to the heart of Jesus."
A recent Helena Daily post reflected on this effort to get out of a spiritual rut.
To access the complete Helena Daily post, please visit:
Helena Daily: Off the Cuff: In a Spiritual Rut? Here's a Remarkable Way Out (15 NOV 18)

Reflection Starter from J. R. R. Tolkien

"It's the job that's never started as takes longest to finish." - J. R. R. Tolkien