The Catholic Calendar for Monday, December 3, 2001
The First Week of Advent
St. Francis Xavier
Read more: http://www.christdesert.org/public_texts/martyrology/
Scripture from today's Liturgy of the Word:
Isaiah 4:2-6
Psalm 122:1-9
Matthew 8:5-11
Full text: http://www.nccbuscc.org/nab/index.htm
A Reflection on Today's Scripture:
God's providence is perfect. Throughout the centuries spanned by the
Old Testament, our Creator carefully nurtured and prepared His chosen
people to receive His ultimate gift of new life in Christ, the
God-man who came in their very flesh to put sin to death and save the
world from its self-destructive behavior.
His law provided Israelites guidelines through which they could be
established as a people governed by God's love, showing forth His
truth, goodness and mercy to every nation, drawing all peoples to
Himself. His "chosen" learned through failures and sufferings that
their success and victory as a nation would come only through their
obedience to God's word born of their faith and trust in a loving
Father.
Two millennia have passed since our heavenly Father manifested His
boundless love through Jesus. In Him we have won forgiveness, and
through His grace we can gain the wisdom and strength to live holy
lives. Yet to this day history repeats itself, and we choose to
remain entrapped in the prison of sin from which Christ freed us.
Advent should re-awaken us to God's love being incessantly poured out
upon us through a holy Infant, an unblemished lamb offered up in
sacrifice for the expiation of our sin. But Christ's love remains
frustrated, thwarted by hearts entombed in ignorance, self-will,
selfishness and unbelief. Jesus came to place the keys of the kingdom
into our hands. (Recall that He gave the keys to Peter.) So it is we
who must unlock the door, leave sin behind and allow God's new life
to enter into us in the Person of the blessed Child we await.
Blessed Lord,
awaken in us a hunger for your truth and love.
Help us to partake fully of your glorious life. Amen.
- Marie L. Bocko, ocds
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