Subject: Studies for the First Sunday in Advent - A - December 1, 2013
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| Sunday Studies eNotice |
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First Sunday in Advent - A - December 1, 2013 Surprise We all look forward to the magic of Christmas, but how many of us like surprises? Not me. I hate surprises. I usually react with irritation. Why didn't anyone tell me what was going to happen? Well, Jesus gave us warning, ample warning, about the end of the world. STUDIES FOR THE 34TH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME DAILY READINGS FOR THE 34TH WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME WEEKLY BLOG Why do we hate surprises? MP3 PODCAST In this week's audio podcast, we investigate the nature of surprises, especially the ultimate surprise, the coming of the Son of Man. FIRST READING Isaiah 2 spoke of the glory coming to Jerusalem and the surrounding countryside of Judea. The house of YHWH would be a presence that would gather the nations and teach them the ways of God. PSALM Psalm 122 was an arrival hymn for the pilgrim. It praised the city of David and prayed for peace upon the destination of the pilgrim. Most of all, it connected pilgrim with holy ground and the source of that holiness. SECOND READING In Romans 13, St. Paul tried to answer a simple question. If Jesus is coming soon, why do we try to live a moral life? His answer might be surprising. We live the moral life to justify our faith in Christ's return. GOSPEL In Matthew 24, Jesus used three images (Noah's Ark, field-mill work and a household night watch) to encourage vigilance in his followers. The end was near. CHILDREN'S READINGS In the story for the first reading, Bobbie described heaven as a Thanksgiving meal at her grandmother's house: peaceful, free and a great bounty. This was similar to Isaiah's prophecy about the coming Kingdom. In the story for the gospel, Jeremy's mother forced him to wake up early for the day after Thanksgiving sales. All he heard was, “Wake up! Watch out!” This is the same message Jesus is giving us. CATECHISM LINK In this week's Catechism Link, we preview the seasons of Advent and Christmas Time. FAMILY ACTIVITY Encourage patience during the holiday season with the “St. Nicholas Waiting Game.” |
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Upcoming Studies November 24: Christ the King Daily Reading: 34th Week in Ordinary Time November 28: Thanksgiving (USA) November 30: St. Andrew |
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