God loves you and meets you where you are.

“God, infinitely perfect and blessed in himself, in a plan of sheer goodness freely created man to make him share in his own blessed life. For this reason, at every time and in every place, God draws close to man. He calls man to seek him, to know him, to love him with all his strength. He calls together all men, scattered and divided by sin, into the unity of his family, the Church. To accomplish this, when the fullness of time had come, God sent his Son as Redeemer and Savior.

In his Son and through him, he invites men to become, in the Holy Spirit, his adopted children and thus heirs of his blessed life.”  (CCC n. 1)

“Dios, infinitamente perfecto y bienaventurado en sí mismo, en un designio de pura bondad ha creado libremente al hombre para hacerle partícipe de su vida bienaventurada. Por eso, en todo tiempo y en todo lugar, se hace cercano del hombre: le llama y le ayuda a buscarle, a conocerle y a amarle con todas sus fuerzas. Convoca a todos los hombres, que el pecado dispersó, a la unidad de su familia, la Iglesia. Para lograrlo, llegada la plenitud de los tiempos, envió a su Hijo como Redentor y Salvador. En Él y por Él, llama a los hombres a ser, en el Espíritu Santo, sus hijos de adopción, y por tanto los herederos de su vida bienaventurada.” (CIC n. 1)

Readings: First Sunday of Advent

Introit
“To you, I lift up my soul, O my God. In you, I have trusted; let me not be put to shame. Nor let my enemies exult over me; and let none who hope in you be put to shame.”

Collect
“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.”

Reading I: Jer 33:14-16
“The days are coming, says the LORD, when I will fulfill the promise I made to the house of Israel and Judah. In those days, in that time, I will raise up for David a just shoot; he shall do what is right and just in the land. In those days Judah shall be safe and Jerusalem shall dwell secure; this is what they shall call her: “The LORD our justice.”

Responsorial Psalm: Ps 25:4-5, 8-9, 10, 14

1. (1b)  To you, O Lord, I lift my soul.
   Your ways, O LORD, make known to me;
   teach me your paths,
   Guide me in your truth and teach me,
   for you are God my savior,
   and for you I wait all the day.
   R. To you, O Lord, I lift my soul.
   Good and upright is the LORD;
   thus he shows sinners the way.
   He guides the humble to justice,
   and teaches the humble his way.
   R. To you, O Lord, I lift my soul.
   All the paths of the LORD are kindness and constancy
   toward those who keep his covenant and his decrees.
   The friendship of the LORD is with those who fear him,
   and his covenant, for their instruction.
   R. To you, O Lord, I lift my soul.

Reading II: 1 Thes 3:12—4:2
Brothers and sisters: May the Lord make you increase and abound in love for one another and for all, just as we have for you, so as to strengthen your hearts, to be blameless in holiness before our God and Father  at the coming of our Lord Jesus with all his holy ones.  Amen.

Finally, brothers and sisters, we earnestly ask and exhort you in the Lord Jesus that, as you received from us how you should conduct yourselves to please God and as you are conducting yourselves you do so even more. For you know what instructions we gave you through the Lord Jesus. Alleluia.

Ps 85:8
Alleluia, alleluia.
Show us, Lord, your love;
and grant us your salvation.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.

Gospel: Lk 21:25-28, 34-36
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.”

Questions for Reflection

1. How do we come to know about God?
2. Is there a desire in the human heart for God?  How is it revealed?
3. St. Augustine: “Man’s heart is restless until it finds rest in God”. What does this mean?
4. God is pure Spirit; how can we speak of him?  What are the limitations of our language?