FIRST SUNDAY OF ADVENT (B)
Lord, Let Us See Your Face
Have The Door Open When The Lord Comes
Hope In A Better World
Greeting
I welcome you with the greeting of St. Paul:
Grace and peace to you from God our Father
and from the Lord Jesus Christ. R/ And also with you.
Introduction by the Celebrant
During this Advent we are confronted again with the question so vital for us Christians: what place are you giving Christ in your life? Are you close to him? One thing is sure: he is near to us. Do we try to see him, to recognize him in the many forms he is present among us: in our neighbor, in nature, in the events of life, even in our troubles and his own silence? We have to become vigilant to his presence, not only in our own little world but in the Church and in the wide world. Today we pray in the Eucharist: come, Lord, show yourself; be visible among us.
It is good to have something to wait for, to look forward to, to hope in. People who have no more expectations are pitiable, for their life must be drab and monotonous. Of course, waiting for something to happen, for someone who is delayed, can make us impatient at times, like the better world which we are promised but which takes very long in coming. The Lord here among us asks us: what have you done to hasten the coming of a new self and of a better world? Why have you not made me and my Gospel known and why do you not make me visible in yourself? Here is our task for Advent: We have to bring the Lord and his kingdom near. May the Lord give us this strength.
People often dream about a beautiful world without worries or pain. We know that our world will never be such a paradise. Imperfection is the mark of our world and of every human being. But Advent reminds us of this: let God come into our world and let him enter our lives; then everything will be better. And God came: he is here with us in Jesus. With him we can make this world not yet a paradise but at least much better if with him we learn to bear the pain of the evil in this world and fight it with all our might. Then it may become a sign of the paradise of heaven. Let Jesus fill us with that hope and strength.
Penitential Act
Do we look for the Lord?
And when we find him, do we point him out to others?
Let us examine ourselves before the Lord.
(pause)
Lord Jesus, awaken your might and come to our help:
Lord, have mercy. R/ Lord, have mercy.
Jesus Christ, bring us back,
let your face shine on us and we shall be saved:
Christ, have mercy. R/ Christ, have mercy.
Lord Jesus, we shall never forsake you again;
give us life, that we may call upon your name.
Lord, have mercy. R/ Lord, have mercy.
Have mercy on us, Lord,
and take away all our sins.
Show yourself to us
and lead us to everlasting life. R/Amen.
Opening Prayer
Let us pray that we may be vigilant
to see the coming of our Lord among us
(pause)
Our saving God,
long ago you sent your Son Jesus among us,
but we have been little aware of his presence
and we hide him even from others.
Wake us up, make us recognize him,
that he may be the light of our lives
and that eagerly we may lead people to him.
May he build up among us and with us
a world and a kingdom of peace and love
where we serve you in one another,
as we move forward in hope
to your home of endless joy and rest.
We ask this through Christ our Lord. R/ Amen.
First Reading • Is 63:16b—17; 64:1,3-8: Rend The Heavens And Come Down!
In the name of his discouraged and suffering people, the prophet voices his trust in God: they deserve their lot, but no situation is desperate when we can count on a saving God.
Second Reading • 1 Cor 1:3-9: Waiting For The Full Coming Of Christ
Paul sees the life of a Christian as someone already united with Christ and yet looking forward toward his fuller coming until the Lord’s final return.
Brothers and sisters:
Grace to you and peace from God our Father
and the Lord Jesus Christ.
I give thanks to my God always on your account
for the grace of God bestowed on you in Christ Jesus,
that in him you were enriched in every way,
with all discourse and all knowledge,
as the testimony to Christ was confirmed among you,
so that you are not lacking in any spiritual gift
as you wait for the revelation of our Lord Jesus Christ.
He will keep you firm to the end,
irreproachable on the day of our Lord Jesus Christ.
God is faithful,
and by him you were called to fellowship with his Son,
Jesus Christ our Lord.
Gospel • Mk 13:33-37: Stay Awake For The Lord’s Coming
Christians should always be ready for the unexpected, for they may encounter the Lord at any time in people, in the events of life and at death. Are we awake and ready to respond?
Jesus said to his disciples:
“Be watchful! Be alert!
You do not know when the time will come.
It is like a man traveling abroad.
He leaves home and places his servants in charge,
each with his own work,
and orders the gatekeeper to be on the watch.
Watch, therefore;
you do not know when the lord of the house is coming,
whether in the evening, or at midnight,
or at cockcrow, or in the morning.
May he not come suddenly and find you sleeping.
What I say to you, I say to all: ‘Watch!’”
Intercessions
Let us pray to our Lord Jesus Christ that we may be alert to his presence and that his salvation may come to all of our world. Let us say: R/ Lord, come and save us.
Lord, Jesus Christ, you are the one who is coming to renew us and our world.
Be our joy, our peace, all our hope, now and forever. R/ Amen.
Prayer Over the Gifts
God our Father,
we pray you at this altar
for the coming of Jesus Christ in bread and wine.
Inspire us by the power of his Spirit
and sustain us in hope,
that we may fully commit ourselves
to build up among people a city
that is human, peaceful, just, and fraternal
as an offering that pleases you,
our God and Father for ever. R/ Amen.
Introduction to the Eucharistic Prayer
In the preface and the whole Eucharistic Prayer we express our longing for the Lord’s coming among his people and in the world.
Note. It is fitting to use during Advent acclamation (b) of the Sacramentary after the consecration, because of the words: “Lord Jesus, come in glory."
Introduction to the Lord’s Prayer
Let us pray to our faithful God
in the words of Jesus his Son
that his kingdom may come to all: R/ Our Father...
Deliver Us
Deliver us Lord, from the evil of sin
which keeps us from seeing
that your Son already is among us.
Help us discover his presence
in our brothers and sisters.
In these times of trials and uncertainty
keep us watchful and reassure us
that even in our obscure toils
we are already preparing the new world
of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. R/ For the kingdom...
Invitation to Communion
This is Jesus the Lord,
he who was and is and will come,
the hope and salvation of all.
Happy are we to receive him
as our God-with-us. R/Lord, lam not worthy...
Prayer after Communion
God our Father,
it was good to be here with your Son
and to receive from him the bread of hope.
Help us in our clumsy attempts to bring to our cold world
the warmth of his love and friendship,
of his compassion and his integrity,
that people may see the day
when they can recognize among us
your Son, Jesus Christ our Lord. R/ Amen,
Blessing
Advent is our season of waiting
for the coming of Jesus, our Lord.
But long ago he came already.
So, what are we waiting for, then?
For his real coming to you, to me, to our world.
Where is his kingdom among us?
How can people see whether he is here?
Can they see him in us, in our communities?
This is what we are waiting for,
or rather, what the Lord is waiting for.
The Lord is waiting for our active preparing
of his love and justice among people.
But he will do it with us.
Let the Lord come and activate us,
with the blessing of Almighty God,
that Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit. R/ Amen.
Let us go with one another
the way of the Lord. R/ Thanks be to God.
Reflection:
December 3
Mark 13:33-37
Stay awake
In this passage, Jesus imparts a crucial lesson about the importance of watchfulness and preparedness. He compares the need for vigilance to a master who leaves his servants in charge while he is away. This imagery underscores the uncertainty of the master's return, mirroring the unpredictability of Christ's second coming.
Jesus urges his followers to "be on guard, keep awake." This isn't a call to anxious paranoia but a reminder that our lives should reflect a state of continual readiness. The unpredictability of the master's return serves as a metaphor for the uncertainty of when Jesus will return, emphasizing the need for constant spiritual alertness.
The master's charge to the doorkeeper to stay awake highlights the individual responsibility each believer has in maintaining spiritual readiness. We are called to be faithful stewards of our time, talents, and resources, ever watchful for opportunities to serve and glorify God.
Jesus warns against spiritual sluggishness, equating it to being caught off guard. The emphasis is on being spiritually awake and engaged, living with a sense of purpose and expectation for the fulfillment of God's promises.
The repeated phrase, "what I say to you, I say to all: Stay awake," universalizes this message. It's not a directive solely for a specific time or group; rather, it's a timeless call for all believers to be spiritually vigilant.
As we await Christ's return, let us heed this call to stay awake, living in a manner that reflects our faith and commitment. By embracing a lifestyle of watchfulness, we position ourselves to be faithful servants, eagerly anticipating the day when our Master returns to find us faithfully engaged in His work.