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.

Corporate Culture - Humour

The Corporate Culture

A hilarious look at Corporate Life! 

  

 

100 Zen Quotes

100 Quotes to live by

1. Its The Little Things That Makes Living Worthwhile.
2. The toughest thing about success is that you have to keep on being a success.
3. Anyone can win unless there happens to be a second entry.

Faith in humanity Restored - In Pictures

http://www.buzzfeed.com/expresident/pictures-that-will-restore-your-faith-in-humanity

Advent and Christmas - Meanings

The Meaning of the Manger

Every year there is displayed in the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York an eighteenth century painting of the nativity scene. It's traditional in every sense except one. Behind the cradle, in the far distance, we see the ruins of the mighty Roman columns. The artist knew the meaning of the Bethlehem manger. The birth of God's new age means the death of man's old world.

Staff Writers, Sermons.com.

Abby's Dog died and God's Reply

Letter from the post office

 

Our 14-year-old dog Abbey died last month.
The day after she passed away my 4-year-old daughter Meredith was crying and talking about how much she missed Abbey. She asked if we could write a letter to God so that when Abbey got to heaven, God would recognize her.
I told her that I thought we could so, and she dictated these words:
Dear God,
Will you please take care of my dog? She died yesterday and is with you in heaven. I miss her very much.