First Sunday of Advent
– You can ponder on the picture. For a method of praying with pictures click button below.
– You can pray on the words of Scripture. For methods of praying with scripture click button below.
– You can follow the suggestions in the daily ‘Reflection’.
– You can listen to the music
Today’s Scripture
Mark 13:33-37 (HSCB)
Jesus said to his disciples, “Be on guard, keep awake.
For you do not know when the time will come.
It is like a man going on a journey,
when he leaves home and puts his servants in charge,
each with his work, and commands the doorkeeper to stay awake.
Therefore stay awake—for you do not know
when the master of the house will come,
in the evening, or at midnight, or when the cock crows,
or in the morning— lest he come suddenly and find you asleep.
And what I say to you I say to all:
Stay awake.”
Reflection
What does hope mean? Saint Paul tells us that if we actually knew what was going to happen we wouldn’t call that hope, that would be knowledge.
Hope is looking forward to what could happen. God willing!
What do are you currently hoping for?
Most of us are currently hoping for a complete release from the Coronavirus.
We may have hopes too about our environment or family.
We all need hope to animate us, to keep us awake and lively.
It would be sad to have nothing to hope for.
At the beginning of Advent it would be good to make a list of all the things you are currently hoping for.
Be aware too of the different level of your hopes. Some are trivial, others profound.
Some are for yourself, others are for those you love or for causes and things you feel necessary and important in the world.
Perhaps you would like to spend some time today praying for the more serious things you are currently hoping for.
Today’s Music
Every Sunday of Advent we have a very different version of this popular Advent hymn.
Click to purchase music from the Gesualdo Six