AD SENSE

1st Week of Advent, Wednesday, Dec 2

Isaiah 25:6-10 / Matthew 15:29-37

The Lord will feast his people: He will wipe away all tears.

 

Pulitzer prize winning author Thornton Wilder wrote a novel called The Eighth Day. It’s about a good and decent family whose lives are filled with pain, sorrow, and hardship—caused by evil people. Wilder ends his novel without alleviating or resolving the family’s tragic situation.

Advent 2 B - Prepare the Way

A school principal called the house of one of his teachers to find out why he was not in school. He was greeted by a small child who whisper: “Hello?”

Advent 2nd Sunday B: Prepare the Way - Shorter Homily

1st Week of Advent, Tuesday, Nov 30

 1st Week of Advent, Tuesday, Nov 30

Isaiah 11:1-10 / Luke 10:21-24

The Spirit rests upon him; He will defend the rights of the helpless.

Stories for Sermons: B Cycle: Advent to Easter

Advent Sunday 2 B: John the Baptist: Prepare the Way


A school principal called the house of one of his teachers to find out why he was not in school. He was greeted by a small child who whisper: “Hello?”


1st Week of Advent: Nov 30-Dec 5

Nov 30 Monday: St. Andrew, the Apostle

 (https://www.franciscanmedia.org/saint-of-the-day/saint-andrew) 

Mt 4: 18-22: 18 As he walked by the Sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers, Simon who is called Peter and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea;  for they were fishermen. 19 And he said to them, “Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men.”  20 Immediately they left their nets and followed him.  21 And going on from there he saw two other brothers, James the son of Zebedee and John his brother, in the boat with Zebedee their father, mending their nets, and he called them.  22 Immediately they left the boat and their father, and followed him. (Mark 1: 14-20) USCCB video reflections: http://www.usccb.org/bible/reflections/index.cfm

Advent Sunday 1 B - Liturgical Prayers

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

THANKSGIVING - US

A Prayer of Thanks

God, You are good, and Your steadfast love endures forever! Even in the hardest seasons, I always have a reason to worship You.

34th Week: Nov 23- 28:

Nov 23 Monday (St. Clement I Pope & Martyr

https://www.franciscanmedia.org/saint-clement/) ,  St. Columban, Abbot 

(https://www.franciscanmedia.org/saint-columban/) , Blessed Miguel Augustin Pro, Priest, Martyr (U.S.A.) 

(https://www.franciscanmedia.org/blessed-miguel-agusaint-iacute-n-pro/ ) : Luke 21: 1-4: He looked up and saw the rich putting their gifts into the treasury; 2 and he saw a poor widow put in two copper coins. 3 And he said, “Truly I tell you, this poor widow has put in more than all of them; 4 for they all contributed out of their abundance, but she out of her poverty put in all the living that she had.” USCCB video reflections: http://www.usccb.org/bible/reflections/index.cfm

Advent 1st Sunday B: Be Alert and Watchful




Presentation of the B.V. Mary, Saturday, Nov 21

 Revelation 11:4-12; Lk 20:27-40 

The two prophets heard a voice: "Come up here—to heaven!" 

The Book of Revelation is a paradoxical book. On the one hand it's utterly confusing. On the other hand, it's utterly clear. Take today's description of the two witnesses. It seems to fit Moses and Elijah, who tradition said would return to earth before the final Day of the lord.

34 Sunday A: Christ the King


1) Who's king in today's world? The one judged by: the Size of the car, house, iPhone, number of likes in social media, position, title, pay packet, employees under....?
2) Who's the King of the Kingdom of God? Each one gets 1 denarius, look after the vineyard, talents to invest and  multiply, come to the wedding feast, beloved son...., shepherd and servant leadership....
3) King who is a judge and our accountability. Reckoning day. We are forgiven by mercy and condemned by judgment. Health, wealth, responsibility, talents, wedding garment, shepherd, vineyard responsibility ......
4) Our baptism, confirmation, Eucharist does not matter at the end of the day, we wonder...? Mt 25 means these are foundations to look after the children of God. These give us the strength, inspiration, direction to do that.  They are not titles, positions or entitlements for salvation...
T.K.
*********

33rd Week, Monday, Nov 16

33rd Week: Nov 16-21: Reflections

Nov 16 Monday: St. Margaret of Scotland: https://www.franciscanmedia.org/saint-margaret-of-scotland/ Lk 18: 35-43: 35 As he drew near to Jericho, a blind man was sitting by the roadside begging; 36 and hearing a multitude going by, he inquired what this meant. 37 They told him, “Jesus of Nazareth is passing by.” 38 And he cried, “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!” 39 And those who were in front rebuked him, telling him to be silent; but he cried out all the more,

33rd Sunday A - Talents - Liturgy

 Sunday November 15 

THIRTY-THIRD SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME 

1. Much Is Entrusted to Us

2. Take the Risks of Faith 

 Greeting (See Second Reading) 

We do not belong to the night or to darkness, so we should not go on sleeping but stay wide awake and sober. May the Lord Jesus be your light and stay with you. R/ And also with you. 

32nd Week, Wednesday, Nov 11

St. Martin of Tours

Titus 3:1-7 / Luke 17:11-19

 COURAGE, GRATITUDE AND LOUD VOICES   

St. Martin of Tours, like other soldiers-to-become-saints, had a flair for courage, generosity and the flashy gesture. In his case, he famously used his sword to slash in half his cape, giving one part to a beggar. Presumably he kept the other half.

32nd Week, Nov 9-14:

 Nov 9 Monday (Dedication of the Lateran Basilica) (https://www.franciscanmedia.org/dedication-of-saint-john-lateran/):Jn 2.13-22 Historical note: Today the Church celebrates the anniversary of the dedication of the Cathedral Church of Rome by Pope Sylvester I (AD 314-335), in AD 324. This Church serves as the Episcopal seat of the Pope as the Bishop of Rome and, hence, is called “the mother and head of all Churches of Rome and the world.” The basilica and baptistery were built originally by the Emperor Constantine and called Basilica Constantinia.

33 Sunday A: Talents: Gifted for Service


It's not only what you have got, but it's how we use what we have got - with love- that matters!


Feast of the Dedication of Lateran Basilica

3 Readings talk about God's presence in three areas: Nature (water & Herb) or creation. This is first temple. Second human persons, second temple. Third: social, civil and ecclesial structures. God first created time, space and context. Then created human beings. Sin and grace take place at a particular, location and context. Paradise had everything for grace and growth. Also the apple tree that caused sin. 

DEDICATION OF ST. JOHN OF LATERAN (FEAST) -Liturgy

You, the Temple of God, Are Sacred 

Greeting

Know that this place is holy because the Lord is here among us. Know that we ourselves are called to be holy for we are God’s temple. May the Lord Jesus always stay with you. R/ And also with you.

31st Week: Nov 3-7

 Nov 3 Tuesday: Lk 14:15-24: 15 When one of those who sat at table with him heard this, he said to him, “Blessed is he who shall eat bread in the kingdom of God!” 16 But he said to him, “A man once gave a great banquet, and invited many; 17 and at the time for the banquet he sent his servant to say to those who had been invited, `Come; for all is now ready.’ 18 But they all alike began to make excuses. The first said to him, `I have bought a field, and I must go out and see it; I pray you, have me excused.’ 19 And another said,

31st Week, Tuesday, Nov 3

Philippians 2:5-11 / Luke 14:15-24

Jesus became one of us: He took the form of a servant. 

An Islamic parable tells of a traveller who strayed into the "Land of the Fools." There he saw a mob shouting hysterically.   "A monster is in our field," they cried. The traveller drew nearer and saw that the monster was only a watermelon, a fruit the fools had never seen before.

32 Sunday A: 10 Virgins: 5 Wise and 5 Foolish

 
Michel DeVerteuil
General Comments
Today’s passage is a teaching on “what the kingdom of heaven will be like” (verse 1). This biblical expression means the coming of grace into the world. The passage therefore is a teaching on grace, inviting us to recognise and celebrate our experiences of grace, and to prepare ourselves for future comings.
“Will be” is a reminder that the final and definitive coming of grace lies in the future, but the teaching also refers to the many partial but real comings of grace that we and our communities (including the worldwide human family) have experienced.