First reading: 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.”
Second reading: 1 Th. 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.
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.”
In other words
by Fr. Atilano Corcuera, SVD (Divine Word Seminary, Tagaytay City)
A non-Christian elderly woman joined her neighbor in a frantic shopping spree, days before Christmas. Realizing that her companions were buying gifts for their relatives, she also bought so many gifts for her relatives.
After long hours of hectic running from one store to another, the woman found herself overloaded with wrapped gifts, which she could hardly carry. Entering the elevator with her burdens, some of the gifts came tumbling down in front of the elevator door. Angry at herself and embarrassed by the clumsy handling of her loads, she uttered a curse, “Whoever invented Christmas should be hanged on a tree!”
Another elderly woman heard her and whispered to her, “Madam, the inventor of Christmas was already hanged on a tree.”
Advent is a gift of the Church to us. It consists of four weeks of preparation, so that in our frantic plans and activity, we may not lose the meaning and reason why we celebrate Christmas.
To help us in our preparation, we are given two themes to reflect on during Advent, namely, the Second Coming of Christ and the mystery of his First Coming, or the first Christmas. As we reflect on these two themes, we also think about our proper attitude and response to the One who is to come.
And to bring this about we listen to the readings in the liturgy. Moreover, we give special attention to the three guides that will lead us to the right disposition in our preparation. We listen to Isaiah, John the Baptist, and the Virgin Mary. In doing so, we hope to appreciate more intensely why the Inventor of Christmas was hanged on a tree.