Second Sunday of Advent
Second Sunday of Advent
“Come to me, all you who labor and are burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am meek and humble of heart; and you will find rest for yourselves” (Mt 11:28-29). The Lord invites us to find peace and joy in Him this Sabbath as we set aside time to worship and rest.
PREPARE
“Remember the sabbath day—keep it holy. Six days you may labor and do all your work, but the seventh day is a sabbath of the LORD your God.”
Sabbath comes from the Hebrew word “Shabbat”, which literally means “to stop.” Keeping holy the Sabbath is not just a commandment, but an invitation. An invitation from the Lord to stop our work, stop our worrying, stop our striving. An opportunity to fid rest and to be renewed. A chance to refocus on the things that truly matter - the Lord, family, community. In our culture, Sunday has become a day to “catch up” on everything that didn’t get done during the week, and any time left over is often seen as an opportunity just to “get ahead” for next week. But we Christians have a chance now to remember what it means to keep the Sabbath. During this pandemic the Lord is calling us back to Himself, offering us a chance to reclaim the gift of the Sabbath, reminding us again what it means to “keep it holy.”
A basic principle for observing the Sabbath is only to do things that can be considered “rest” or “worship”. Here are a few ideas to consider to begin more to enter into the Sabbath. Maybe pick just one thing to focus on this Sunday, then next Sunday keep that practice in addition to a second one. And then the next Sunday add a third, to slowly over time begin to enter into this great gift of the Sabbath more and more.
Keep the Lord at the center - read the Mass readings ahead of time, participate in Mass, make more time for prayer, spend some extra time in silence focusing on the Lord
Try not to work - resist the urge to check your email, or catch up on a few things, and leave it for Monday
Plan ahead - take care of what needs to be done before Sunday, so plan the rest of your week to make sure you get the laundry done, have gone grocery shopping, etc.so you don’t have to do any of it on Sunday
Spend the day “screen free” - try to stay off social media, internet news, and your phone as much as possible. If you can’t make it the whole day try to go for at least a few hours
Be intentional with others - if you live with others (ie. family, roommates), is there something you can do together like play a game or go on a hike? If you live alone, can you reach out to a good friend and catch up?
Leisure, not entertainment - try to do things that are life giving; binge-watching a favorite show or playing video games for hours rarely leaves anyone with a new zeal for life. Read a good book, go on a long walk, develop a hobby.
PARTICIPATE
“Where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them” (Mt 18:20). Each Sunday we are called to “keep holy the Sabbath” and although that may look different for right now we will still come together as a St. Ann community through the gift of technology.
MASS READINGS
GIVING
Take a few minutes to give to St. Ann Parish. Please give generously and sacrificially as an act of faith during these difficult times. You can give online:
After giving, offer ways to be generous of your whole self during this trying time for our world.
“Each must do as already determined without sadness or compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. Moreover, God is able to make every grace abundant for you, so that in all things, always having all you need, you may have an abundance for every good work.”
PROCESS
“A voice cries out: In the desert prepare the way of the LORD! Make straight in the wasteland a highway for our God! Every valley shall be filled in, every mountain and hill shall be made low; the rugged land shall be made a plain, the rough country, a broad valley. Then the glory of the LORD shall be revealed, and all people shall see it together; for the mouth of the LORD has spoken” (Isa 40:3-5).
Over 2600 years ago, in 586 BC, it seemed like God had failed his people. The Babylonians were at the gates, and king Nebuchadnesar was poised to destroy both Jerusalem--the Holy city--and the God’s own temple. How could the Lord fail to protect them? He was the mighty one, the one true God who had chosen the people of Israel for himself, working such mighty deeds to free them from slavery in Egypt and to bring them into the promised land. He had done great miracles before, so why not now? But instead, the Babylonians destroyed Jerusalem and the temple, and sent the Jewish people into exile. It seemed as if God’s promises had failed.
It is into this darkness that the words of the Lord spoken through the prophet Isaiah radiate such great light. The beginning of Isaiah 40 reads, “Comfort, give comfort to my people, says your God. Speak tenderly to Jerusalem, and proclaim to her that her service is at an end” (Isa 40:1-2). To a people in exile, to whom all hope seems lost, the Lord speaks words of comfort and hope. His promises have not failed, and on the contrary, the long-awaited Saviour is coming soon. These words of hope, echoing throughout the centuries to sustain the people, find their fulfilment in John the Baptist, who comes to prepare the way for the promised Messiah, proclaiming, “One mightier than I is coming after me. I am not worthy to stoop and loosen the thongs of his sandals. I have baptized you with water; he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit” (Mk 1:7-8). He is the voice who cries out in the desert, “Prepare the way of the Lord! Make straight his paths” (Mk 1:3) for the Lord is coming soon!
This Advent season, with the pandemic still around us after nine long months, we may be feeling a heavy burden. We may be tired, frustrated, or ready to just give up, unable to withstand the darkness of our own exile from friends, family, and normal life any longer. These Scriptures speak a powerful word of hope for us in this time. By recounting the history of salvation, they help us read our own situation in the light of God’s mighty deeds. They recall to us the moments when it seemed as if God’s promises had failed, and the way in which they were ultimately fulfilled. They encourage us in times of darkness to remember God’s promises and His fidelity, and so to take hope. Hear, then, the word of the Lord, which He spoke so long ago to a people in exile, and speaks also to you today: “Comfort, give comfort to my people, says your God. Speak tenderly to Jerusalem, and proclaim to her that her service is at an end” (Isa 40:1-2).
PRACTICE
In this second week of Advent the readings speak to us of hope. It can be hard during times of challenge to remain hopeful, but it is in times of adversity that we need to cling to hope the most. Our practice this week is to have our hope renewed by reflecting back on God’s faithfulness. Consider using one, or both, of the suggestions below to find comfort in the ways God has moved in power in the past.
God’s Faithfulness to His People - The Advent tradition of a “Jesse Tree” is a way to remember God’s action throughout salvation history. You can consider making a physical Jesse Tree with ornaments that can be placed each day to remember specific events from the Bible. Or even without the physical tree, take some time to read through the Scripture verses that go with the ornaments to remember how God has been faithful to His people. You can find many creative suggestions online for how to make a Jesse Tree, and also a list of Scripture verses for reflection.
God’s Faithfulness to You - Set aside some time to reflect on your own personal history. Start as far back as you can remember, and as you think through your life ask these questions:
Where has God been present in the circumstances of your life?
Where has God been faithful to you in the past?
Where have you seen God’s gifts and blessings to you throughout your life?
As you take time to remember God’s action throughout salvation history, and throughout your own personal history, ask Him to fill you again with trust and hope for the future.
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS
Think about how you can continue to reflect on God’s word to you this week, and how you can invite others into the conversation. You can use the questions below for personal reflection, or to grow with others. Be creative! You could consider gathering with friends and family, or starting a group text, or a group FaceTime, to discuss the questions below. What stands out to you from the readings this week? What might God be speaking to you at this time?
What stands out to you from the readings this week? What might God be speaking to you at this time?
What stands out to you from the readings this week? What might God be speaking to you at this time?
Did you do anything different last week to enter into this season of Advent?
In the first reading we hear the Lord speaking words of comfort and encouragement to His people. Is there any certain area of life right now where you are longing for comfort or encouragement?
To the Israelites in exile it had seemed like the Lord had failed them, but the second reading assures us that the “Lord does not delay his promise.” What are your feelings on that? Has it ever felt like the Lord did not keep His promise to you? How do you work through those feelings with faith and hope?
Is hope something you are experiencing right now? Or do you feel more a lack of hope? Why do you think that might be?
Can you think back on a time when God has been faithful to you? What is one way you have seen Him at work, even if at the time it didn’t seem clear?
Are there ways this Advent that you could “prepare the way of the Lord” with hope? What could that look like in our circumstances of 2020?
KIDS
ACTIVITY
Set up an obstacle course by placing objects around the room which the kids will have to navigate around as they follow a designated leader around the room. The leader and kids will pick up the items to clear the path as they march just like John the Baptist prepared the way for Jesus.
CONNECTION
In today’s Gospel, John the Baptist announces that something great is about to happen- the savior that God has promised is coming. John preached repentance and the forgiveness of sins as the way to welcome Jesus. In this Advent season, we must prepare our hearts for Jesus’ coming by being sorry for our sins and asking for God’s forgiveness.
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS
How does our family get ready for the Christmas season?
What does John the Baptist announce to the people?
How does John the Baptist’s message help us get ready for Jesus’ coming?
What can you do to get ready to welcome Jesus?
FAMILY PRACTICE
During the Advent season, if you are old enough, go to confession. Confessing our sins and asking for forgiveness is a great way to “make straight his paths” in our lives.