Category: Second Week

“BE STRONG, FEAR NOT!” (Isa 35:4)

⏰Monday of the Second Week of Advent (07 December 2020 – Memorial of St. Ambrose) 📖Isa 35:1-10; Ps 85:9ab and 10, 11-12, 13-14, (R. Isa 35:4ff); Luke 5:17-26 “BE STRONG, FEAR NOT!” (Isa 35:4) Beloved in Christ, God wants you to begin this new work week with smiles and strong faith in him; do not allow anything to rob you of that. Learn from the determination of the friends of this paralytic in Luke 5:18-26. The crowd proved to be an obstacle to them but they still found a way to reach Jesus through the roof. There can be a...

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PREPARE THE WAY OF THE LORD

⏰Second Sunday in Advent (Year B) 📖Isa 40:1-5, 9-11; Ps 85:9ab and 10, 11-12, 13-14 (R.v.8); 2 Pet 3:8-14; Mark 1:1-8 🎤PREPARE THE WAY OF THE LORD At the beginning of Advent last Sunday, we were informed of the basic components of Advent period. It is a period of waiting for the King of kings, which is why we use the purple colour in the Church at this time, indicating expectancy, repentance and royalty. Last Sunday, being watchful dominated the message. But on this Second Sunday, the theme of preparing the way for the Lord runs through all the readings....

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HE WHO FOLLOWS THE LORD WILL HAVE THE LIGHT OF LIFE (cf. John 8:12)

⏰Friday of the Second Week of Advent (14 December 2018 – Memorial of St. John of the Cross) 📖Isa 48:17-19; Ps 1:1-2, 3, 4 and 6 (R. John 8:12); Matt 11:16-19 Coming into the presence of the Lord yields a much desired positive transformation. The prophet Isaiah informs us today that it would earn us peace, righteousness and every good thing, including having our names in his book of life (cf. Isa 48:17-19). To be in the presence of the Lord is to be without sin. The prophet Isaiah had also noted that it was our sins that separated us...

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“FEAR NOT, I WILL HELP YOU” (Isa 41:13)

⏰Thursday of the Second Week of Advent (13 December 2018 – Memorial of St. Lucy) 📖Isa 41:13-20; Ps 145:1 and 9, 10-11, 12-13ab (R.v.8); Matt 11:11-15 Think of the shame and trauma the Israelites had while they were being led to exile. They suffered humiliation and were helpless in the face of opposition. To worsen the case, they were helplessly turned to slaves in exile. This was the same nation that had been empowered by God to conquer all the nations that stood on their way to the Promised Land. But by now, their self confidence and esteem have been...

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“GOD WILL LEAD ISRAEL WITH JOY… WITH THE MERCY AND RIGHTEOUSNESS THAT COME FROM HIM” (Bar 5:9)

SECOND SUNDAY OF ADVENT (YEAR C) Bar 5:1-9; Ps 126:1-2ab, 2cd-3, 4-5, 6 (R.v.3); Phil 1:4-6, 8-11; Luke 3:1-6 As we celebrate the Second Sunday of Advent today, the three readings we have for today’s liturgy invite us to anticipate the mercy of God and to prepare ourselves to receive it. In the First Reading, the prophet Baruch, who was, historically, the Secretary of the prophet Jeremiah, encouraged the exiled Jews who were suffering in foreign lands that God is going to restore their joy and visit them with mercy and righteousness (cf. Bar 5:9). Today, I pray that God...

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OPEN OUR EYES TO THE TRUTH, O LORD!

⏰Saturday of the Second Week of Advent (15 December 2018) 📕Sir 48:1-4, 9-11b; Ps 28:2ac and 3b, 15-16a, 18-19 (R.v.4); Matt 17:10-13 Do you understand why some people normally leaves the truth to pursue shadows? I think it is because they normally subject the verification of the truth to principles which are generated from personal biases. But truth cannot be subjective. That was the problem with the leaders of the Jews which Jesus condemned. That is also the same problem that makes some people jump from one place to another in search of the type of God which they have...

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YOUR WARFARE IS ENDED! (cf. Isa 40:2)

⏰Tuesday of the Second Week of Advent (10 December 2019) 📖Isa 40:1-11; Ps 96:1-2, 3 and 10ac, 11-12a, 12b-13 (R. Isa 40:9-10); Matt 18:12-14 🎤YOUR WARFARE IS ENDED! (cf. Isa 40:2) If you have been following us through this medium for a while now, you must have heard us say that the book of the prophet Isaiah is divided into three – First Isaiah (Isa 1 – 39), Second Isaiah (Isa 40 – 55) and Third Isaiah (Isa 56 – 66). It is believed that there are different prophets for the three different divisions. Our first reading of today is...

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“BE STRONG, FEAR NOT!” (Isa 35:4)

⏰Monday of the Second Week of Advent (10 December 2018) 📖Isa 35:1-10; Ps 85:9ab and 10, 11-12, 13-14, (R. Isa 35:4ff); Luke 5:17-26 “BE STRONG, FEAR NOT!” (Isa 35:4) My dear, God wants you to begin this new working week with smiles and strong faith in him; do not allow anything to rob you of that. Learn from the determination of the friends of this paralytic in Luke 5:18-26. The crowd proved to be an obstacle to them but they still found a way to reach Jesus through the roof. There can be a lot of crowds trying to prevent...

FEAR NOT, I WILL HELP YOU

⏰Thursday of the Second Week of Advent (12 December 2019) 📖Isa 41:13-20; Ps 145:1 and 9, 10-11, 12-13ab (R.v.8); Matt 11:11-15 “FEAR NOT, I WILL HELP YOU” (Isa 41:13) Think of the shame and trauma the Israelites had while they were being led to exile. They suffered humiliation and were helpless in the face of opposition. To worsen the case, they were helplessly turned to slaves in exile. This was the same nation that had been empowered by God to conquer all the nations that stood on their way to the Promised Land. But by now, their self confidence and...

THEY WHO WAIT FOR THE LORD SHALL RENEW THEIR STRENGTH (Isa 40:31)

⏰Wednesday of the Second Week of Advent (11 December 2019) 📖Isa 40:25-31; Ps 103:1-2, 3-4, 8 and 10, (R.v.1a); Matt 11:28-30 “THEY WHO WAIT FOR THE LORD SHALL RENEW THEIR STRENGTH” (Isa 40:31) It is my birthday, a day I always want to celebrate my mother in a special way and thank God for saving her life some years ago as she was giving birth to me. Kindly join me in praying for her, especially in her present condition, that God may grant her good health of mind and body and increase in her, the joys of motherhood. Pray for...