Faithfulness and Love

Category Archives: Advent

Tuesday of the 1st Week of Advent

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As adults, many of us try to take control of our lives and our destiny. We may also be less tolerant, less willing to be docile, less receptive to the promptings of God. Some of us may have inflated egos and find it difficult to forgive and receive forgiveness.

In today’s Gospel, Jesus said: “I bless you, Father, Lord of heaven and of earth, for hiding these things from the learned and the clever and revealing them to mere children.” When we allow God to care for us and guide us in our lives, we become like mere children, willing and able to learn from Him. It is when we think we know it all and we try to do things our way that we become deaf to God’s voice.

Monday of the 1st Week of Advent

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How many of us really trust in God’s providence? In today’s Gospel, we see the centurion coming to Jesus for help to heal his servant. What is interesting about this passage is that the centurion had faith and full trust and confidence in Jesus, to the point that he even said: “‘Sir, I am not worthy to have you under my roof; just give the word and my servant will be cured.”

If we come before the Lord seeking His help, would we be able to have the same trust and confidence as the centurion did? Sometimes the help we seek may not necessarily happen immediately. Are we patient and hopeful, knowing that our loving God will grant what is best for us?

1st Sunday of Advent Year A

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Some of us may have been asleep for quite a while. Instead of growing in faith and in relationship with God, we may have been dormant or inactive. Some do the minimal and seem focused more on wealth, success, fame, fortune, etc. of this world. But for how long can we be in this state of sleepiness? We may be awake physically, but are we truly awake spiritually?

As we begin a new Liturgical Year on this 1st Sunday of Advent, and as we prepare to say goodbye to this year, let us take this opportunity, as the Second Reading tells us today, to change our lives and to “wake up for our salvation is even nearer; let us give up all the things we prefer to do under cover of the dark; let us arm ourselves and appear in the light. Let us live decently as people do in the daytime.”

Throughout this year, we need to ask ourselves thoroughly and honestly: have we changed and become better persons? Have we become closer to God? Have we learnt to be more forgiving and loving? Have we learnt to be more patient, especially towards our family, loved ones, elders, etc.? If we have failed in one way or another to improve ourselves in any of these areas and more, let us wake up and take stock of our lives.

Jesus warns us in today’s Gospel to “stay awake, because you do not know the day when your master is coming” and we “must stand ready because the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect.” Are we going to allow ourselves to be caught off-guard? Or have we been making preparations spiritually to meet our loving God? Let us not pass the many opportunities given to us to grow spiritually, lest we find ourselves left out and have only ourselves to blame.