Our Sunday Reflections

CLICK HERE for the Audio recording of the Readings of
December 1st, 2019.
The First Sunday of Advent. 

CLICK HERE for the Readings of December 1st, 2019.
The First Sunday of Advent.

Sunday, December 1st, 2019.  The First Sunday of Advent.


In 2012, we experienced a major ice storm that was unexpected, especially in its impact. At the time, I was living at Saint Joseph’s rectory in Leicester Massachusetts. Everything came to a standstill and we were all much unprepared.  No water, No current, this means food will go bad, you cannot cook, and of course No television and No cell phone (how could we survive without these!!).  My brother in Tewksbury told me it was not so bad out there (he had power and water) , so I decided to drive up and stay there a few days. The roads were a mess and dangerous with the ice. The storm brought back real memories of the Worcester Blizzard of 1978 to many of the older folks. 

Even though we might be so ‘advanced’, Mother Nature throws us a curveball every now and then.
The readings this First Sunday of Advent are about preparedness, readiness or staying awake. The Floods of Noah are not on the way and our houses are pretty well fortified, so then, what preparedness are we talking about?  It is a spiritual preparedness, an attitude of living or 'an interior recall' asked of us. As the birth of Christ comes, how prepared are we spiritually for it?  Even though Jesus comes in the future, He is already here in our midst. Do we recognize this?  Let our ‘today’ or ‘now’ prepare our ‘tomorrow’ (the coming of Jesus). Live like Jesus is already here.

Matthew writes his Gospel with a crisis of faith in the community in which he lived. When he speaks about a ‘house broken into he means: community, family, Church or spirit/morale. The Christians of Matthew's time waited so long for the second coming of Jesus and they got fed up. They lost interest in Jesus and his teaching. Their morale and spirit began to fade. They did not care anymore. 
In addition, they faced persecution and ostracizing by the largely pharisaic Jewish officials who disliked the Jesus movement and its followers.  They were excommunicated from Judaism and seemed to have nowhere to go. They had to make difficult choices; were they to remain faithful to Jesus or their traditional Jewish laws and traditions? Matthew urges them to remain firm and yes, make the painful choice to stay with Jesus. They must maintain a strong witness and authenticity of life in such a volatile environment. Maintain unity and charity and concern for one another in their communities. ‘Abide in Christ’ he says.

Saint Paul has similar issues on his mind as he writes to the Romans.  ‘Do not give up upright conduct’, he urges. When you choose to follow Christ, you choose to live differently.
What does all this imply for you and I?  How might my parish community, my church, my Christian family, my personal life truly reflect my belief, my faith values?  Does the spirit of Jesus truly abide in my discernment, choices and decisions?  When has it not been the case and why?  Do you easily conform or give in? 

Advent is a time of revamping our Christian identity and living up to what it stands for ‘now’ not  'tomorrow'.

A Blessed week in the Lord!
Fr. Anthony


CLICK HERE for an understanding of the Advent Season.

CLICK HERE for an understanding of the Christmas Season.

View the below video for another Sunday Reflection on the readings.