Second Sunday of Advent
“For greater things you were born.” (Ven. Mother Luisita)
SUNDAY, DECEMBER 6TH Mk. 5: 1-8 “”One mightier than I is coming after me. I am not worthy to stoop and loosen the thongs of his sandals.”
Let us compare three other Bible verses to this one. All three are the words of JESUS to us!
Mt. 11:11… “Truly, I say to you, among those born of women there has arisen no one greater than John the Baptist. Yet the one who is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he.”
Jn. 13:14-16… At the Last Supper, Jesus washed the feet of His disciples and then said to them: “Now that I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also should wash one another’s feet. I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you. Very truly I tell you, no servant is greater than his master.”
Mt. 25: 48… “The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’”
- Jesus clearly calls us to service! Our first calling is to serve in our vocation as priest and/or religious, married, or single. We are also called to serve helping our neighbor! From Jesus’ example of washing the Apostles feet, a task reserved for slaves, it is clear that we should consider no act of service beneath us!
- Today, Fr. Ed Broom reminds us of another most important avenue of service— Prayer! Add to our prayers, the trials and sufferings that are part and parcel of daily living, and Jesus promises us that souls will be saved! “My daughter, You will save more souls through prayer and suffering than will a missionary through his teachings and sermons alone.” (Diary of St. Faustina #1767)
- May the Child Jesus bless our prayers with the salvation of immortal souls— the souls of those for whom we pray as well as our own poor souls!
CHRISTMAS PREPARATION: COME LORD JESUS! by Fr. Ed Broom, OMV
Amidst the many distractions of life, it is very easy for us to be sidetracked as to really living out the true meaning of Christmas, if you like, the true “Reason for the Season.” The very focal point and meaning for the season of Christmas is the Person of Jesus. Christmas indeed is the birthday of Jesus Christ. A little more than 2000 years ago, Jesus was born in Bethlehem—meaning “House of Bread” —with the purpose of saving us. Actually His name Jesus means Savior, as the Archangel Gabriel announced to Mary: “He will save the people of their sins.” How then can each of us prepare our heart, mind, and soul for the Birthday of our loving Redeemer? We would like to offer a few concrete suggestions for prayers on behalf of those whose salvation is at great risk! Not only will these prayers earnestly prayed be of paramount importance in helping to save these souls, but the love with which we pray them will prepare the way for Jesus to be born in our hearts this Christmas.
1. LET US PRAY FOR THOSE WHO DO NOT CARE TO BE SAVED.
There is a class of persons who really do need frequent and fervent prayers. These are individuals, and there are many of them, who never think of, much less talk to God. For them, living a pagan and hedonistic lifestyle—for the world and the pleasures the world offers—is the end and purpose of their existence. They are blinded to seeing anything beyond momentary, fleeting, and transitory pleasures. For them, life and the meaning of life is here and now! Let us pray for these individuals that they become aware of their dire need for Jesus and become enlightened to see that only Jesus can give true happiness in this life, as well as in the life to come.
2. LET US PRAY FOR THE ANGRY, THE BITTER, THE RESENTFUL. THOSE WITH UNFORGIVING HEARTS.
Then there is another class of individuals who urgently need fervent and frequent prayers so that they can truly encounter Jesus when He is born and comes to live with us. Emmanuel means “God with us”. These are wounded individuals who have gaping wounds from their past. Instead of their wounds healing, they have grown worse, become putrid and infected. In a certain sense, they become cancerous. The worst thing about these individuals is the simple fact that they do not recognize that they are bitter and unforgiving. Everybody is at fault except them! May these individuals be enlightened to the reality of God’s Infinite Mercy! May they have the courage to recognize that they have been mortally wounded by others but that they must forgive, they must be merciful, as our heavenly Father is merciful! If done, they will be setting the captives free, and they themselves are the captives who need to be set free!
3. LET US PRAY FOR THOSE WHO ARE SLAVES OF ADDICTIONS.
Never have we lived in a society with so many addictions. Drugs, drink, gambling, horses, casinos, sex, pornography, overeating, buying and accumulating—just to mention a few, are all forms of addiction. Jesus came to save all souls. Jesus also said that sin is slavery. Dragging the moral chains and bonds of sin is actually worse than physical slavery. Saint John the Baptist experienced the bonds and chains of imprisonment as a result of his denouncing the adulteress relationship between King Herod and his brother’s wife. However, King Herod was more a slave and prisoner than John the Baptist! Herod indeed was a slave of his passions—his greed, lust, pride, insecurities; these were more insidious and more perilous bonds then the chains and manacles that bound the Baptist. Let us pray in a very special way for the many people in modern society who are slaves of addictions, who are blind or powerless to break asunder these sinful chains. The great Saint Augustine was bound and enslaved to the addiction of lust for more than 30 years. Due to the prayers of his mother, Saint Monica, and the powerful and holy example of Saint Ambrose, his addiction was conquered! Augustine went on to become a great saint, writer, teacher, preacher, Bishop, saint and Father of the Church.
4. LET US PRAY FOR THOSE WHO LIVE IN THE DARKNESS OF IGNORANCE.
Never have we lived in a society with so much information, but never have we lived in a society with so much ignorance, especially in the realm of religion. Let us pray for the many Catholic-Christian adults who have not studied their faith for many years, possibly decades. Maybe they were confirmed in their early teens and since then have not opened a single religious book, a catechism, or even the Bible. On a professional level, it could be that they are thriving, but in knowledge and love for their faith they are spiritually as dead as a door nail. The worst part in this scenario is that they have no hunger, no thirst for the truth. Jesus is the Way, the TRUTH, and the Life. Nobody comes to the Father except through Him. Let us pray for these individuals that they will come to a keen awareness of their ignorance of religious truth, and begin to hunger and thirst for the truth to finally dispel this cloak of ignorance. May the Holy Spirit, who descended upon Mary and the Apostles that first Pentecost in fire and wind, enlighten these individuals and forcefully blow away and dispel their ignorance.
5. LET US PRAY FOR THOSE WHO PERVERT THE INNOCENT.
Finally, there is a very important category that we should pray for that they may encounter the Light of Jesus the Savior—those who pervert and damage the innocent! Jesus said regarding those who scandalize or pervert the innocent that it would be better for them to have a millstone tied around their neck and be thrown into the depths of the sea. Very strong words from the lips of Our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ that should be listened to! Many who work in television, many who work in fashion and dress, many who promote indecent websites, many who publish indecent magazines—many of these fall into the category of those who pervert and scandalize the innocent, especially the minds and hearts of children. We should pray fervently for their conversion and salvation, for their sake and for the sake of the innocent ones they harm!
Copyright 2020 Oblates of the Virgin Mary
St. Peter Chanel Church, Hawaiian Gardens, CA
