First Sunday of Advent

First Reading from Today's Mass:  
Jeremiah 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.”

  
Today is the day when we begin reflecting on that promise, so soon to be fulfilled in the coming of Our Savior at Christmas.

Advent is a time of waiting.

We are reminded that He has come and that He is coming again. With every Bible reading at every Mass through this holy time we are commanded to "Watch and wait and pray..."

We sing of His coming in "O Come, O Come Emmanuel," a song that always brings tears to my eyes.

We hear of His coming in the Word. Today's first reading and the Gospel compel us to "Watch and be ready for the Lord" for He is near. He came for us. To live for us. To die for us. God became a human being. What an awesome paradox!  What a wonderful mystery!

I always refer to the time of Advent as my "bittersweet" time. I am given much to weeping and sorrow, but also to joy. The tears and weeping occur because I look at the world and the evil therein and say "God, how could you have done this? How could you become one of us and suffer for us when we still haven't gotten it?" The joy comes when I consider all of the good I see out there in the world. There is much good in the world, many who have gotten the message.

I pray that there would be more people this year that are drawn by the beauty of this "bittersweet" sacrifice of our God.

Here is a wonderful Advent prayer from the Catholic Online site. This will be my personal prayer for this first week of Advent. I am hoping to do a post on each week of Advent, with mass readings and prayers.

My Prayer for the First Week of Advent:

Come, long-expected Jesus. Excite in me a wonder at the wisdom and power of Your Father and ours. Receive my prayer as part of my service of the Lord who enlists me in God's own work for justice.

Come, long-expected Jesus. Excite in me a hunger for peace: peace in the world, peace in my home, peace in myself.

Come, long-expected Jesus. Excite in me a joy responsive to the Father's joy. I seek His will so I can serve with gladness, singing and love.

Come, long-expected Jesus. Excite in me the joy and love and peace it is right to bring to the manger of my Lord. Raise in me, too, sober reverence for the God who acted there, hearty gratitude for the life begun there, and spirited resolution to serve the Father and Son.

I pray in the name of Jesus Christ, whose advent I hail. Amen.

Come, Emmanuel, come!