Podcasts about advent year b

The fulfillment of God's promise will come

This is a sermon I delivered at Holy Comforter Episcopal Church in Drexel Hill, PA. For a permanent link to this and other sermons, please go to therevtreysthoughts.blogspot.com

Homily for the 4th Sunday of Advent, year B - Dec 24, 2023 Readings for the day: bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/122423.cfm

December 24, 2023 Old Testament: 2 Samuel 7:1-11, 16 Psalter: Luke 1:46b-55 Epistle Lesson: Romans 16:25-27 Gospel Lesson: Luke 1:26-38 Scripture quotations from the New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright © 1989 National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide. S.D.G.

The angel Gabriel was sent from God to a town of Galilee called Nazareth, to a virgin betrothed to a man named Joseph, of the house of David, and the virgin's name was Mary. And coming to her, he said, “Hail, full of grace! The Lord is with you.” Luke 1:26–28What an amazing experience this would have been. This humble servant of God, a young girl, was visited by the Archangel Gabriel and greeted with the salutation, “Hail, full of grace! The Lord is with you.” Try to imagine her experience. She was humble beyond comprehension, filled with every heavenly virtue, loved God with all her heart and suddenly came face-to-face with this glorious and most magnificent Archangel. And this heavenly visitor showered the deepest of praises upon this lowly servant of the Lord.At first, in her humility, Mary simply pondered this greeting. She pondered it in her heart through prayer and faith. Then the Archangel spoke further: “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. Behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall name him Jesus. He will be great and will be called Son of the Most High, and the Lord God will give him the throne of David his father, and he will rule over the house of Jacob forever, and of his kingdom there will be no end.” Though Mary inquired further about how this could be, she quickly gave her consent: “Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord. May it be done to me according to your word.” And it was these words of this young woman that continuously echoed in her heart throughout her life.Mother Mary was great for many reasons. She was the Immaculate Conception—the one singularly conceived without sin in the womb of her own mother. She was the one chosen by the Father to bring forth the Savior of the World as her only begotten Son. But her greatness is especially found in her ongoing submission to the will of God. “May it be done to me according to your word.” This is what she said over and over throughout her life. This is her perfect “fiat” to her God. All she knew was surrender and submission to all that God asked of her. And it is this, more than anything else, that made her the worthy Mother of God.Though none of us were immaculately conceived within our mother's wombs and none of us have remained without sin throughout our lives, we must all strive to be inspired by this holy woman. We must all ponder her deep humility and her willing acceptance of God's will in her life. And we must all strive to imitate her fiat and her perfect virtue.Imitation of our Blessed Mother is accomplished by first coming to know her, understand her and love who she is. Gazing upon her interior beauty and holiness presents us with the vision of the perfection to which we are all called. As we prayerfully gaze upon her heart and come to understand her virtues more clearly, we will be inspired to open our own hearts so as to imitate her by the grace of God. This prayerful exercise is one of the best and quickest ways to obtain the heights of holiness to which God has called us. Reflect, today, upon this holy daughter of the Most High. She is not one we can “figure out.” Instead, she is one whom we can come to know through prayer and through God's inspiration. Ponder her prayerfully. Be open to her inspiration. And allow the Holy Spirit to also overshadow you so that you will more closely be able to imitate her in her holy virtues.My dearest Mother, you lived a life of perfect virtue and holiness. You continuously pondered the mysteries of God in your heart and always surrendered to the will of God with perfection. Please inspire me so that I may not only learn from you but also be able to share in the overshadowing of the Holy Spirit given to you. Mother Mary, pray for us. Jesus, I trust in You.Source of content: catholic-daily-reflections.comCopyright © 2023 My Catholic Life! Inc. All rights reserved. Used with permission via RSS feed.

"I Will" on the Fourth Sunday of Advent - Year B, December 24, 2023.Listen carefully to the readings and join Dina Marie for this reflection on FAITH MOMENTS WITH DINA MARIE.The readings for the Fourth Sunday of AdventFirst Reading: 2 Samuel 7:1-5, 8b-12, 14a, 16Responsorial Psalm 89: For ever I will sing the goodness of the Lord.Second Reading: Romans 16:25-27Gospel Reading: Luke 1:26-38For the daily liturgical readings visit: www.usccb.org or www.wau.orgThe podcast of this program is at www.materdeiradio.com.

Homily for the 4th Sunday of Advent (Year B) by Fr Mike Delaney, Parish Priest of the Kingston Channel Catholic Parish in the Archdiocese of Hobart, Australia

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Fourth Sunday of Advent (Year B, 2023-2024)Scripture Readings: 2 Samuel 7:1-11, 16, Psalm 89:1-4, 19-26, Romans 16:25-27, Luke 1:26-38

December 17, 2023 Old Testament: Isaiah 61:1-4, 8-11 Psalter: Psalm 126 Epistle Lesson: 1 Thessalonians 5:16-23 Gospel Lesson: John 1:6-8, 19-28 Scripture quotations from the New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright © 1989 National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide. S.D.G.

Welcome to the Pulpit Fiction Podcast, the lectionary podcast for preachers, seekers and Bible geeks. This is episode 572 for Sunday, December 24, 2023, 4th Sunday of Advent Year B. 2 Samuel 7:1-11, 16  David Wants to Build a Temple with Karla Seyb-Stockton Luke 1:26-38 Annunciation to Mary Romans 16:25-27 Glory be to God

Who are you? Homily given at Saint Casimir's Church, Cleveland.

Rejoice!

Jesus is merciful. Enjoy this week's homily.

Homily for the 3rd Sunday of Advent, year B - Dec 17, 2023 Gaudete Sunday Readings for the day: bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/121723.cfm

This is a sermon I delivered at Holy Comforter Episcopal Church in Drexel Hill, PA. For a permanent link to this and other sermons, please go to therevtreysthoughts.blogspot.com

the word on The Word – Third Sunday of Advent, Year B Luke 1:46-47 "And Mary said, 'My soul magnifies the Lord, and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior.'" Are you ready to rejoice at Christmas? Melissa and Veronica look into a well-known psalm of praise from the Mother of God. For Sunday's Reading: ewtn.com/catholicism/daily-readings/2023-12-17

“I am the voice of one crying out in the desert, ‘make straight the way of the Lord,'” as Isaiah the prophet said.” John 1:23In the passage above, Saint John the Baptist quotes Isaiah 40:3: “A voice proclaims: In the wilderness prepare the way of the LORD! Make straight in the wasteland a highway for our God!” This was a prophecy of Isaiah who was speaking about the return of the Jewish exiles from Babylon back to Jerusalem. Normally, people would travel along the well-watered routes from Mesopotamia to Israel. Those routes were safer than the desert and provided the necessary food and water for the journey. But Isaiah prophesied that the Jewish exiles would travel the shortest route—straight across the desert—and that God would provide for their needs during that journey. Such a journey required much trust in the providence of God.John the Baptist, in quoting Isaiah, applies this prophecy to himself. He was called to cry out in the desert and point people directly to the Messiah. It was in the desert that they would discover their Savior.First of all, John cries out in the “desert.” His message is for those who experience dryness, destitution, need and loss in life due to sin. His message of repentance is first for those who are without the spiritual nourishment God wants to bestow upon them through grace. The message of John is pointed to those who humbly see the difficult situation they are facing in life and acknowledge their need for the Living Water of the Savior of the World.Second, this new “straight” way implies that many are not walking the direct path to Christ. Instead, they are taking unnecessary detours in life. John's message is one that calls everyone to the straight and direct way of repenting of their sins so that they can come to faith in Christ Jesus.Third, walking through the desert to find Christ requires trust in God's providence. It takes courage to make such a journey. Trust in the ongoing providence of God, Who promises to meet all of our needs, is key. One would not walk straight through the desert if they did not trust their guide.Advent is a time to reexamine the road you are on. Are you trying to find your own way to happiness? Are you trusting in your own abilities, your own intelligence and your own plan for the future? If so, then listen to the “voice of one crying out in the wilderness.” Listen to Saint John speak to you, calling you to the simplicity of the desert, to a greater detachment from all things, to an abandonment of all that is not of God, and to a more willing trust in the providence of God to lead you.Reflect, today, upon this calling from the desert and listen to the message God is speaking to you, personally. Abandon all worldly concerns, repent of sin, trust in Him and go out to meet Him so that you can more quickly and more easily come to a deeper faith in our Lord during this Advent season.My loving Lord, You are there, waiting for me in the darkness and dryness of my sin. You are waiting for me to lead me and guide me through the many challenges I face in life. Please give me the courage and wisdom I need to trust in You enough to follow You wherever You lead. Jesus, I trust in You.Source of content: catholic-daily-reflections.comCopyright © 2023 My Catholic Life! Inc. All rights reserved. Used with permission via RSS feed.

Third Sunday of Advent (Year B, 2023-2024)Scripture Readings: Isaiah 61:1-4, 8-11, Psalm 126, 1 Thessalonians 5:16-24, John 1:6-8, 19-28

Homily for the 2nd Sunday of Advent, year B - Dec 10, 2023 Readings for the day: bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/121023.cfm

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The mesage of John the Baptist is repent, prepare your hearts because the king is coming. It is as relevant today as it was 2000 years ago. We prepare for the coming of Christ at the end of time and at Christmas by sorting out our hearts!

This is a sermon I delivered at Church of the Holy Comforter in Drexel Hill, PA. For a permanent link to this and other sermons, please go to therevtreysthoughts.blogspot.com

Homily for the 2nd Sunday of Advent Year B 12/10/23 --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/frmatt-nagle/message

Preparing the way of the Lord by repentance of our sins

Jesus is present. Enjoy this week's homily.

Welcome to the Pulpit Fiction Podcast, the lectionary podcast for preachers, seekers and Bible geeks. This is episode 571 for Sunday, December 17, 2023, 3nd Sunday of Advent Year B. Isaiah 61:1-4, 8-11 VITW with Susan Presely and Max Hazell John 1:6-8, 19-28 John testifies about Jesus 1 Thessalonians 5:16-24   

the word on The Word – Second Sunday of Advent, Year B 2 Peter 3:8 “But do not ignore this one fact, beloved, that with the Lord one day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day.” Do you have too much time in your day or not enough? Veronica and Melissa dive into the topic of time. For Sunday's Reading: ewtn.com/catholicism/daily-readings/2023-12-10

homily given at Saint Casimir's Parish, Cleveland, Ohio. Prepare the way of the Lord.

"Prepare for the Promise" on the Second Sunday of Advent - Year B, December 10, 2023.Listen carefully to the readings and join Dina Marie for this reflection on FAITH MOMENTS WITH DINA MARIE.The readings for the Second Sunday of AdventFirst Reading: Isaiah 40:1-5, 9-11Responsorial Psalm 85: Lord, let us see your kindness, and grant us your salvation. Second Reading: 2 Peter 3:8-14Gospel Reading: Mark 1:1-8For the daily liturgical readings visit: www.usccb.org or www.wau.orgThe podcast of this program is at www.materdeiradio.com.

The beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ the Son of God. As it is written in Isaiah the prophet: Behold, I am sending my messenger ahead of you; he will prepare your way. A voice of one crying out in the desert: “Prepare the way of the Lord, make straight his paths.” Mark 1:1–3These, the opening lines from the Gospel of Saint Mark, present us with Saint John the Baptist. John was the one that Isaiah prophesied would come before the Messiah. John was given the responsibility and privilege of being the one who would be the most immediate preparer for the Savior of the World. Perhaps if most people were given the task of instructing John on how best to prepare the way for the Lord, they would tell him he must go to the leaders of the people, the civil authorities, the influential and those of status in society to win them over first. Many would conclude that the Messiah needed to have the full support of the leaders at that time. But that's obviously not what John did.John the Baptist, at the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, was driven not into the homes of the most prestigious and wealthy, not into the halls of the civil governors, and not into the synagogues or Temple. Instead, John was driven into the desert. And in the desert, that dry and deserted place, he drew many people to himself and to his message of repentance.God continues to call many today to follow in the footsteps of John the Baptist. Though John was a real person sent on a real mission at one particular moment in time, the mission he fulfilled is one that still needs fulfilling in various ways today. The “way of the Lord” still needs to be prepared. The Lord still desires to come to many, and He needs prophets to prepare the way for His continual coming by grace. Are you one of those people?Truth be told, every one of us, rich or poor, learned or unlearned, young or old, etc., is called by God to prepare the way for His coming by grace every day. We are called to prepare the way by calling others to sincere repentance and conversion of life. This is done by the witness of our actions, by our words and by numerous other ways that God calls. How is God calling you to do His work? He is certainly calling you. You simply need to be open to that calling and generously respond.Reflect, today, upon that “desert” to which you have been called, so as to prepare yourself and others for the coming of Christ. That desert is any place where there is need and every place where our Lord is not. It might be your family, work environment, community, among friends, or any place that lacks the superabundance of God's grace. Seek to enter those deserts and to be open to be a channel of our Lord's grace to those in need.Lord, You desire to come to me and to all of Your children every day. Please use me to not only prepare my own heart and soul for Your divine coming but to also prepare others to meet You. Give me wisdom and compassion, insight and strength, so that I can imitate Saint John the Baptist and prepare the way for Your most glorious coming by grace. Jesus, I trust in You.Source of content: catholic-daily-reflections.comCopyright © 2023 My Catholic Life! Inc. All rights reserved. Used with permission via RSS feed.

"Rejoice in the Lord always; again I say, rejoice! Indeed, the Lord is near."

"The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. . ." Mary's patient time of trusting and waiting was fulfilled when she gave birth to God's Son.

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Homily for the 1st Sunday of Advent (Year B), preached by Deacon Matthew Newsome at St. Mary Mother of God Roman Catholic Church in Sylva, NC. For everything there is a season and a time for every purpose under heaven. Today begins the season of Advent; the beginning of a new liturgical year. So what is the reason for this season? Advent reminds us that we have something to look forward to. Isn't it a wonderful thing to have something to look forward to? Having something to look forward to has a marvelous tempering effect on us, tempering both our joys and our sorrows. What do I mean by that?

Second Sunday of Advent (Year B, 2023-2024)Scripture Readings: Isaiah 40:1-11, Psalm 85:1-2, 8-13, 2 Peter 3:8-15a, Mark 1:1-8

Entering the season of waiting and watching

the word on The Word – First Sunday of Advent, Year B Isaiah 63:17 “Return for the sake of thy servants, the tribes of thy heritage.” Do you find it difficult to believe that God loves each of us in the midst of our brokenness? Melissa and Veronica dive into Sunday's sorrowful first reading to find moments of trust and hope. For Sunday's Reading: ewtn.com/catholicism/daily-readings/2023-12-03

Homily for the 1st Sunday of Advent, year B - Dec 3, 2023 Readings for the day: bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/120323.cfm

Happy Advent. Family given at St. Casimr Church, Cleveland, Ohio.

“I give thanks to my God always for you because of the grace of God that has been given you in Christ Jesus” (1 Cor. 1). Isaiah 64:1-9 Psalm 80:1-7, 16-18 1 Corinthians 1:3-9 Mark 13:24-37 1 Advent (Year B)  8:30 a.m. and 11 a.m. Eucharist Sunday 3 December 2023 | After the Episcopal Election 1. ‘A hui hou. Stay awake. Stay awake. In 2004 my best friend was an opera singer named Jennifer Lopez. Jenn is not the famous actor known as J. Lo (although the two were born a year apart). In her early forties doctors diagnosed Jenn with ALS, Lou Gehrig's disease. She returned to her parent's house in California to die. I visited her every Wednesday. The first question she would always ask was, “How is your family?” and the second question would be about a sick person in the congregation or my dissertation. She understood what mattered to me. Jenn was the perfect confidante. I could speak honestly to her about my frustrations with my dissertation advisor or the church leadership without worrying that she might think less of me. Jenn always gave people the benefit of the doubt. [i] Jenn learned to sing in our church and I can imagine her as a girl first beginning to realize her great talent. On some visits we would watch videotapes of her operas. I loved watching her sweep down the stage in a flowing dress singing so powerfully. Her face in those performances showed so much emotion and sensitivity. Once I confided to her that sometimes when I watched an opera singer or listened to a musician like a cellist, I almost secretly fell in love with the performer and tried to imagine what their life was like offstage. “Well this is it!” she joked as she gestured to her wheelchair. We spent hours laughing together. Strangely enough my favorite images of Jenn come from her family photograph albums. Because the colors in those pictures seemed brighter than real life they were particularly appropriate for her spirit. Images from band trips, graduations, summer parties and family gatherings were a wonderful collage expressing her youthfulness, energy and all-around zaniness. Over time Jenn lost the ability to speak, but because we spent so much time together I could understand her. More than most Jenn loved life and there were times, as it was withdrawn from her, that she despaired. Sometimes I still can hear the moaning sound that at the end of her life was the only way she could express this disappointment. But Jenn never complained, never lost interest. Above all the two of us loved Jesus. Before she got sick she had begun the process of getting ordained as a priest. If only we could have had a long career together serving God's people! When I think back to those Wednesdays I realize that we talked a lot about death. But my overwhelming memory is how awake we were – awake to the simplest joys of life and to tragedy. We were awake to the way God's invisible love surrounds us like a thick blanket on a winter night. 2. The darkness we experienced together is the darkness of Advent. Today we celebrate the first Sunday of the new year. The church calendar could have started with the joy of Easter, or the newness and vulnerability of Christmas, or the fiery energy of Pentecost. But instead we begin in the shadow of war, hatred and sorrow. We begin in darkness: waiting, singing and praying for new light. Yesterday hundreds were killed as war returned to Gaza. We pray for the end of violence in the Middle East, Africa and Ukraine. We refuse to turn our eyes away from the suffering. In America as the secular world prepares for a consumer Christmas, Christians could hardly be more out of step. We are awake, waiting for Christ to come in glory at the end of time. The older I get the more I treasure our Advent hymns. We sing, “Zion hears the watchman singing; her heart with joyful hope is springing, she wakes and hurries through the night…” (Hymn 61). [ii] On this first Sunday of the church year, as we await the advent of Christ, we begin a new story about Jesus. The principle way we know about Jesus is through the four gospels. The word gospel means good news. Because three of the four gospels share so much in common and look so similar we call them the synoptic gospels. Each of our three year cycle of Sunday readings is based on one of them (with the Gospel of John filling out the rest of each year). Matthew uses five sections (like the Torah or the five books of Moses) to show that Jesus is a new Moses. Luke describes Jesus as the Lord's royal servant who brings God's light to the nations of the world. John explains how Jesus reunites us with God in a way that we could never accomplish on our own. 3. Today we are entering the year of Mark. Mark explains how humanity comes to have a new start. He writes about how a new reality called the Kingdom of God comes into history and transforms it. Mark uses a simpler vocabulary and grammar to form powerful, compact sentences. His favorite word in Greek is euthus. It means immediately. It comes up so often that sometimes translators just leave it out. Mark presents the hearer or reader with a choice about who Jesus is. The only time Mark is really direct about his own position is in the first sentence of the gospel when he writes, “The beginning of the good news of Jesus Christ, the Son of God” (Mk. 1). The Gospel of Mark has three sections. The first takes place in Galilee and the last in Jerusalem. The middle section occurs as Jesus travels between the two places. In the first section the world wonders who Jesus is. Mark quotes Malachi (3:1) and Isaiah (40:3) describing Jesus as a kind of messenger from God. At Jesus' baptism a voice from heaven says, “You are my Son, the Beloved” (Mk. 1). Jesus heals people, casts out their demons and forgives their sins. He tells them about God's kingdom using stories about a sower casting seeds, and about a tiny mustard seed that grows into a great plant. In the second section of Mark, Jesus' friends are struggling to understand who he is. Jesus asks, “but who do you say I am.” Peter boldly calls Jesus the Messiah (Mk. 8). At the time Peter still has in mind a conquering military hero who will overthrow the Roman authorities. Jesus subverts the whole idea of a messiah. He teaches them that the Son of Man did not come to be served but to be serve others. On the mountain two of Jesus' friends see him talking with Elijah and Moses. From an overshadowing cloud a voice says, “This is my Son, the Beloved, listen to him” (Mk. 9). The final section of Mark shows how Jesus becomes king. A royal procession takes Jesus into Jerusalem where he teaches in the temple. Mark writes, “a large crowd was listening to him with delight” (Mk. 12:37). Later sitting on the Mount of Olives four of his friends ask him when the end will come. Jesus answers with the words we just heard. No one, not the angels nor even the Son of Humanity will know the time. He says literally, “keep on being awake.” [iii] Mark uses the word grēgoreō like the name Gregory. It means to be alert or awake, literally woke. Jesus becomes the Messiah or king by being crucified. A Roman centurion seems to be the only one who understands. He says, “Truly this man was God's Son!” (Mk. 15). When the women go to the tomb an angelic young man in white tells them that Jesus has been raised. The gospel ends abruptly as they flee, “… for terror and amazement had seized them; and they said nothing to anyone, for they were afraid.” Mark confronts every person with this question. Who will Jesus be for you? The twentieth century monk Thomas Merton (1915-1968) writes, “This is the most complete revolution that has ever been preached: in fact, it is the only true revolution, because all others demand the extermination of somebody else, but this one means the death of the [person] who, for all practical purposes, you have come to think of as your own self.” [iv] 4. In this season of Advent we have the chance to prepare a place in ourselves and in the world to receive Christ. There is so much in the Divine plan that we cannot understand, dark places, unmapped territories and worlds to discover. I invite you to encounter Jesus in our present moment. Let me close with a poem by Steve Garnaas-Holmes called “Longing.” “Unsuspecting at first, of course, / you only gradually begin to feel / an urge, a leaning, / slow to become a promise, / a yearning that will become / its own gift, given from beyond. / It grows from a tiny seed, / a grace that is not your doing, / a single cell: / a change of season, / a subtle turning of the heart, / until by some grace you will know. / But now you do not yet, / you are still longing. / But know this, you are Mary, / and Gabriel is near.” [v] On my very last visit with Jennifer before going out of town, we both knew that we probably would not see each other again in this world. I prayed so hard for a miracle that would instantly make her whole and healthy again. What I discovered was someone who was truly awake - who loved Jesus. That night in a dream her grandmother Margaret, who had died when she was eight years old, kept pulling her hand. At the end of our visit, I asked if there was anything she wanted to say before I unplugged her laser pointer for the last time. She pointed out the letters for “Mahalo,” or thank you in Hawaiian. I told her ‘a hui hou which means until we meet again. She was so tired and she shut her eyes as I read evening prayer with the Song of Simeon. It goes, “Lord you now have set your servant free to go in peace as you have promised.” I closed my prayerbook, looked into her face and said goodbye. She opened her eyes, smiled back at me and mouthed the words ‘a hui hou. ‘A hui hou. Stay awake. Stay awake. Come Lord Jesus. [i] We spent those mornings talking about our families, dreams and worries. We talked about the most ordinary things and the profoundest. We talked about politics, art and our love of Jesus. Her commentary on the family and friends in those photographs was priceless. She was smart enough to recognize all of our crazy inconsistencies, idiosyncrasies and frailties, but kind enough to love us even more because of them. Above all Jenn forgave the people around her for the rough edges that make us human. I like to think that she cared for us oddballs more than the normal people.

Jesus is real. Enjoy this week's homily.

Welcome to the Pulpit Fiction Podcast, the lectionary podcast for preachers, seekers and Bible geeks. This is episode 570 for Sunday, December 10, 2023, 2nd Sunday of Advent Year B. Isaiah 40:1-11 Comfort Ye with Father Dave Smith Mark 1:1-8 John the Baptist 2 Peter 3:8-15a  

“Jesus said to his disciples: “Be watchful! Be alert! You do not know when the time will come.” Mark 13:33To which time is our Lord referring? He is referring to the time of His coming. But it must be understood that even though He came to us once in the flesh long ago, and though He will return again in the flesh to judge the living and the dead at the end of time, He never ceases to come to us day and night by the transforming gift of grace. Are you attentive to this coming? Or do you miss out on the countless blessings of God's grace that He wants to bestow upon you every day, all day?The world has many distractions. We are distracted by the lure of riches, the indulgence of our appetites, and the constant noise of modern media, electronic gadgets and the like. These and many other daily distractions make it very difficult to be constantly “watchful” and “alert.” This is because our attention span is limited. Though some may learn to “multi-task” to a certain extent, no one can continually divide their attention between the presence of God and the distractions of the world.Some may argue that it is necessary to engage the world today. It is not possible to continually pray and think only about God. But those who would be tempted to think this do not understand the attentiveness and watchfulness to which we are called.Being watchful and attentive simply means that God is central in our lives and is the motivation and purpose of all we do every day. Our love for and service to God cannot be divided. We cannot set aside some time for the world and other times for God. Instead, everything we do, every day, all day, must have the glory of God and the fulfillment of God's perfect will as the central and exclusive purpose of our lives. Thus, if we interact with the world, tune into social media, fulfill household chores, put in extra hours at work, etc., we must constantly ponder the simple question, “Lord, am I doing this for Your glory and in accord with Your will?” We must never fail to ask ourselves that question. We must always have the glory of God and the fulfillment of His will as the central purpose and motivation for all that we do. If we can live this way, then we will discover that it becomes increasingly easy to always and everywhere be attentive to and watchful for God's will.Reflect, today, upon that to which you most often turn your attention. What is it that you think about the most each day? To what are you most attentive and watchful? If the answer to that question is not the ongoing promptings of God and His grace, then make note of that fact. Humbly pray that you can change and begin to form a transforming habit of daily keeping your attention on our Lord so that He will become your daily guide and focus in all things.Lord of all grace, You come to me day and night, speaking to me, calling me and desiring to guide me. May I learn to turn my full attention to You every day so that nothing but You and Your holy will lead me always. Jesus, I trust in You.Source of content: catholic-daily-reflections.comCopyright © 2023 My Catholic Life! Inc. All rights reserved. Used with permission via RSS feed.

Join Catholic evangelist and bible teacher, Hector Molina as he explores the Mass Readings for the First Sunday of Advent, Year B.Mass Readings:Isaiah 63:16b-17, 64:1, 3-8Psalm 80Mark 13:33-37"A Walk in The Word" podcast is a weekly bible study and reflection on the Sunday Mass readings led by International Catholic evangelist and bible teacher, Hector Molina.PODCAST HOMEPAGE: https://awalkintheword.buzzsprout.comYOUTUBE CHANNEL: https://www.youtube.com/c/hectormolinacatholicevangelist?Support: Are you enjoying these videos? Become a Patron and partner with me in spreading the Good News! https://www.patreon.com/hectormolinaYou can also show your support for the podcast by visiting: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/hectormo...#firstsundayofadvent #advent #adventusdomini #thesecondcoming #thefinaljudgment #thelastjudgment #watchandpray #awakebutnotwoke #catholicbiblestudy #sundaymassreadings #sundaygospelreflection #hectormolina #catholicbiblestudy #awalkintheword #yourclassbeforemass #classbeforemass

"Called to Fellowship" on the 1st Sunday of Advent - Year B, December 3, 2023.Listen carefully to the readings and join Dina Marie for this reflection on FAITH MOMENTS WITH DINA MARIE.The readings for the First Sunday of Advent:First Reading: Isaiah 63:16b-17, 19b; 64:2-7Responsorial Psalm 80: Lord, make us turn to you; let us see your face and we shall be saved. Second Reading: I Corinthians 1:3-9Gospel Reading: Mark 13:33-37For the daily liturgical readings visit: www.usccb.org or www.wau.orgThe podcast of this program is at www.materdeiradio.com.

"A voice cries out: In the desert prepare the way of the Lord!" "He is patient with you, not wishing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance." Our liberation from sin has been God's plan all along. God's loving forgiveness was foretold from of old.

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First Sunday of Advent (Year B, 2023-2024)Scripture Readings: Isaiah 64:1-9, Psalm 80:1-7, 17-19, 1 Corinthians 1:3-9, Mark 13:24-37

Welcome to the Pulpit Fiction Podcast, the lectionary podcast for preachers, seekers and Bible geeks. This is episode 569 for Sunday, December 3, 2023, 1st Sunday of Advent Year B. Isaiah 64:1-9 with Jeff Nelson Mark 13:24-37 Little Apocalypse 1 Corinthians 1:3-9 Greeting and grace