Second Sunday of Advent. Year C - Sunday, December 8, 2024 (EPISODE: 508)

Second Sunday of Advent. Year C - Sunday, December 8, 2024 (EPISODE: 508)

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Readings for Sunday, December 8, 2024 - Second Sunday of Advent. Year C
FIRST READING: Baruch 5:1-9
Psalm 126:1-2a, 2b-3, 4-5, 6. "The Lord has done great things for us; we are filled with joy."
SECOND READING: Philippians 1:3-6, 8-11
GOSPEL ACCLAMATION (Luke 3:1-6). Alleluia, alleluia! Prepare the way of the Lord, make straight his paths: all people shall see the salvation of God. Alleluia!
GOSPEL: Luke 3:1-6

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Please listen to the audio recordings of the Mass – (Readings, prayers and homily), for the Second Sunday of Advent. Year C - Sunday, December 8, 2024, by clicking this link here:    https://soundcloud.com/user-633212303/faith-hope-and-love-advent-1/s-2rQS8N9VbJ1    

(EPISODE: 508)
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*John the Baptist boldly proclaims that the Messiah's arrival (long foretold and expected for generations), was now imminent.

The image of roads being straightened, and mountains levelled is a great image about a journey. All humans are on a lifelong journey towards God's house where we are all invited to be members of God's family. The straight paths, the flattened mountains, the filled-in valleys also make it quite clear that all people are called and invited, people of every race, nation and language. The paths must be straight to allow people to approach and to allow us to approach God.

"men and women who are more equal and more respectful of others' dignity are the best way for God's salvation to come." [II]

It is TIME.

Time to get ready for the arrival of the Son of Man; the Lamb of God who will take away the sins of the world. It is time to prepare the way, and level the mountains, and straighten the pathways. It is TIME, to repent of our sins and be ready to welcome God's chosen one and his Kingdom.

It is one thing to repent of our sins out of fear – fear of God's punishment or anger. But it is quite another to repent of our sins and wrongdoing because we are so sorry that our sin has grieved God's heart and worked against the values of the Kingdom. There is nothing quite so devastating as seeing a parent disappointed and let down by our actions. That cuts deeper than anything. God's disappointment can spur us on to love more closely according to God's vision, than merely doing the right thing out of a sense of duty.

We want to repent and be better, more loving, more just and more forgiving, faithful children of God, not because we fear God's anger and punishment but because we love God, and God loves us infinitely. And we cannot bear to cause God grief and disappointment when we may not have lived up to the ways that God lovingly calls us to live.

The readings give us some food for thought. There are a few really beautiful lines of Scripture: The Lord will grant us "Peace through integrity, and honour through devotion" -- This is the way of true peace from God: by walking in the ways of integrity and doing what is right, come what may. Despite the storms and shocks of life, God's peace is attained from being united with Christ, and walking in his ways of justice and love. God's peace will sustain and guide us.

Our conscientiousness and devotion to the Word of God, and to prayer and good works will give us fulfilment in a way that nothing else could.
 
And the wonderful words of St Paul from the second reading, (it is one of the most beautiful and touching passages in the Scriptures): "My prayer is that your love for each other may increase more and more, and never stop improving your knowledge and deepening your perception so that you can always recognise what is best."

May we always do what is best by an increase of knowledge and perception that can only come from a deepening (day by day) of our love. That theme of ever-deepening love and practical kindness has been flowing through the Scriptures of late, and rightly so. It reminds me of that other quote from Scripture. "By this, all people will know that you are my disciples if you have love for one another." (John 13:35).

The central trait and quality of a true Christian, (a disciple of Christ, and friend of Jesus), is not first and foremost a merely visible keeping of every rule and regulation, not first of all their bold and unbending speaking out against all that is wrong and bad in the world. Our discipleship is not primarily about the eloquence, length or frequency of one's daily prayers, (for as St Paul said elsewhere: "if I did all those things but did them without love, it would do me NO GOOD whatsoever!!" Being a more loving, compassionate, merciful and reverent person, and deepening our love that derives from God who is love, and having the fruits of that love show in our words, our actions and our priorities and choices … now THAT is something .. in fact, that is everything…

In this coming week, let us ask God to show us the paths that need straightening. the barriers that need lowering… For this is the time and season for intense and urgent preparation and conversion so that we might love more deeply, as Christ does, and so that everything we do may flow from and find its source and destination in God, who is LOVE.
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References:

HOMILY BY Fr Paul W. Kelly

ACTION 2000 – PRAYING SCRIPTURE IN A CONTEMPORARY WAY. YEAR C. BY MARK LINK S.J.

[ii] SHARING THE WORD THROUGH THE LITURGICAL YEAR. GUSTAVO GUTIERREZ.

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Second Sunday of Advent. Year C  (Sunday, December 8, 2024) 
(EPISODE: 508)
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{{hello everyone}}
In the Name of the Father (+) and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

 

The Lord be with you.

 

We continue on our Advent journey. We now light the second Advent candle. The "Bethlehem Candle" - symbolizes the journey of Faith. Reminding us of Mary and Joseph's journey to Bethlehem.

 

{The Presider/helper lights the second candle}

 

Presider: Lord Jesus. You call us to prepare your way, making the paths straight. Lord have mercy.

 

Presider: You promise to bring to completion the good work you have begun in us.  Christ Have mercy.

 

Presider: O Wisdom, Come to teach us the way of truth.. Lord Have mercy.

 

**(no Gloria in Advent)

 

COLLECT:

 

Let us pray,

Almighty and merciful God,

may no earthly undertaking hinder those

who set out in haste to meet your Son,

but may our learning of heavenly wisdom

gain us admittance to his company.

Who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit. God, forever and ever.

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Prayer after Communion

 

Let us pray,  

Replenished by the food of spiritual nourishment,

We humbly beseech you, O Lord, that, through our partaking in this mystery, you may teach us to judge wisely the things of earth and hold firm to the things of heaven.

Through Christ our Lord.

 

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Psalm 126:1-2a, 2b-3, 4-5, 6. "The Lord has done great things for us; we are filled with joy."

GOSPEL ACCLAMATION (Luke 3:1-6). Alleluia, alleluia! Prepare the way of the Lord, make straight his paths: all people shall see the salvation of God. Alleluia!

Memorial Acclamation
2. When we eat this Bread and drink this Cup, we proclaim your Death, O Lord, until you come again.
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PREFACE: Advent I
EP II
Communion side.  pwk:  RH
(theme variation: v1 )
(pre+post variation: v2-short)
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{Cheers and thanks everyone for this time of prayer and reflection - I hope you have a blessed week.}

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DISMISSAL:

Go and announce the Gospel of the Lord

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Archive of homilies and reflections:  http://homilycatholic.blogspot.com.au
To contact Fr. Paul, please email:  paulwkelly68@gmail.com

To listen to my weekly homily audio podcast, please click this link here.
NB - It is often a week or so Ahead:  https://soundcloud.com/user-633212303/tracks

You are welcome to subscribe to Fr Paul's homily mail-out by sending an email to this address: paulkellyreflections+subscribe@googlegroups.com

Further information relating to the audio productions linked to this Blog:
Further information relating to the audio productions linked to this Blog:
 "Faith, Hope and Love - Christian worship and reflection " - Led by Rev Paul Kelly

 "O Come. Lord. (Advent) " - In Memory of Paolo Mario (Paul) Giacomantonio (1968-2020).
By Paul W. Kelly. Based on the Ancient church "O Antiphons " of Advent.
Arranged and sung, with additional lyrics, By Stefan Kelk, 2020.

 [ Production - KER - 2021]

May God bless and keep you.

{extra text: unspoken for Advent -

 Roman Missal, 3rd edition, 2010, (ICEL)

 Scriptures - New Revised Standard Version: © 1989, and 2009 by the NCC-USA.

  "The Psalms " by The Grail - 1963, 2009.

 Prayers of the Faithful - Robert Borg "Together we pray " - (1993) }

Sound Engineering and editing -  P.W. Kelly.

Microphones: -      SHURE MOTIV MV5

Editing equipment:    NCH software - MixPad Multitrack Studio Recording Software
NCH – WavePad Audio Editing Software. Masters Edition v 12.44

Sound Processing:  iZotope RX 6 Audio Editor

[ Production -  KER -  2024]

May God bless and keep you.
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