Advent 3 C

3 Advent Sunday C – Dec 16 - Homilies

Introduction:

Someone asked Saint Philip Neri (who happened to be playing cards at the time) what he would do if he learned that his death was imminent. Philip Neri replied that he would continue playing cards. The best preparation for the Lord's coming at any moment is to be doing what we ought to be doing. In the words of the old Shaker hymn: "'Tis a gift to be simple, 'Tis a gift to be free, 'Tis a gift to come down where we ought to be."

----------------
Today is called “Gaudete” Sunday because today’s Mass begins with the opening antiphon, “Gaudete in Domino semper” (“Rejoice in the Lord always”). Today we light the rose candle of the Advent wreath, and the priest may wear rose vestments to express our communal joy in the coming of Jesus, as our Savior.  The theme of the third Sunday of Advent is rejoicing in hope.  Advent is a time for joy, not only because we are anticipating the anniversary of the birth of Jesus, but also because God is already in our midst.  Christian joy does not come from the absence of sorrow, pain or trouble, but from an awareness of the presence of Christ within our souls.

The Incomparable Christ

Almost two thousand years ago there was a Man born contrary to the laws of
life. This Man lived in poverty and was reared in obscurity. He did not travel extensively. Only once did He cross the boundary of the country in which He lived; that was during His childhood exile.

Quotes 57 - Success and Happiness

"Success is not the key to happiness.
Happiness is the key to success.
If you love what you are doing,
you will be successful."

- Albert Schweitzer

Quotes 56 - Imagination

"Imagination is everything. It is the
preview of life's coming attractions"
- Albert Einstein

Quotes 55 - Health

"The first wealth is health."
- Ralph Waldo Emerson

Marriage and Communication

How's Your Communication?

'Husbands, love your wives' Ephesians 5:25   One of the biggest challenges in marriage is communication. Here's an interesting example: in a young family, the husband might go to work and the wife stay home to look after the baby.

True Success - reflections

There is great value in who you are. Let it flow into all you do.
Success is not really a matter of getting this thing or having that experience. True success is being able to live each day as the beautiful, authentic person you are.

Quotes 54 - Success

"The heights by great men reached and
kept, were not attained by sudden
flight, but they, while their companions
slept, were toiling upward in the night."

- Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

Advent 2 C

2 Advent Sunday – C- Homilies

Introduction to the Celebration

Why do we gather here each Sunday to celebrate the sacred meal of the Lord? Because as we say later: when we eat this bread and drink this cup we proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes. Now in Advent we recall the past when Jesus first gathered disciples, but we also remember the future when he will come again in glory. Then we will be delivered from all that binds us, but before then we must take John the Baptist as our model: ‘we must prepare a way for the Lord’ within the world we live in.

-Thomas O'Loughlin

Christmas Videos - 3 C's

Video: Christmas with a capital C, Three Stories…

 

Do check the two versions of the song “Christmas with a capital C” by Go Fish and is popularThe first links has the lyrics, but the second one has 17,910,461 hits on YouTube – with speakers on.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n8vhGYT4gyo
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IAckfn8yiAQ

” Hard Working, God Honoring, Fellowship Building “

Romans 16:12  : Greet Tryphena and Tryphosa, those women who work hard in the Lord. Greet my dear friend Persis, another woman who has worked very hard in the Lord.
Some believers treat their faith as a leisure interest.
They go to church if they have time and are not too tired; they get caught up with the enthusiasm of others, but are reluctant to give their time and money - and only give if they think they will have enough to meet all the other responsibilities as well.
They are certainly not the first to offer themselves for hard work.
The three women in today’s verse were not like that at all. They were people who had a reputation for giving everything for the sake of the Lord, His gospel and His people.
They did not work in order to gain God’s favour, but were active because the Lord had put it into their hearts.
And they were careful to put their effort into tasks which pleased the Lord and were for His glory.
In short: they accepted that the Lord was their Master and that it was their responsibility to put all their effort into serving Him, His kingdom and His church.
Their hard work was not to get God to love them more, but to express the joy and privilege of being saved and included in His kingdom.
They worked hard for the Lord because they loved Him very dearly.
‘Loving God’ means putting everything we have into our relationship with Him.
Deuteronomy 6:5 says, “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength.”
There is something wrong when people who say they love Him are not willing to work hard in the Lord.
Perhaps this is a helpful challenge to lazy, self-centered, de-prioritized Christian faith; and this could be a pivotal thought which will drive us to seek the Lord in a fresh way.

Prayer for the day : -
Almighty God. Thank You for the extraordinary way in which You have loved me, provided for me and sacrificed Christ’s life for me.
I am sorry for the times I have not wanted to work hard to serve You, or to serve others for Your sake.
Please forgive me for such carelessness and laziness.
Please give me a bigger view of what You have done for me so that I will be disciplined, glad and joyful in giving back to You. In Jesus’ Name. Amen.