Second Sunday of Advent: A Shoot Shall Sprout

What is Advent?
We are now in the holy season of Advent where we prepare for both the coming of Christ at Christmas and the second coming at the end of time.  It is a spiritual period in which to meditate on these two mysteries and prepare for them.  We use the wreath and 4 candles to mark down the 4 weeks before Christmas.  

Three of the candles are purple and one is pink.  The purple symbolizes preparation through penance and prayer.  Purple is also used during Lent.  Another way to see it is purple is a physical sign of healing. When we get hurt, the injury becomes purple.  During the time of healing, it remains purple until it clears up.  Sin hurts us and we need time to heal from it by using the Sacraments of Penance and Eucharist, Prayer, Fasting, Indulgences and a genuine Spiritual life.  

The pink is for the third Sunday or Gaudete Sunday which means "Sunday of Joy."   We are joyous because we are getting closer to Christ's birth.  As each week goes, we light the candle that corresponds to that week.  

Reflection for the Catholic Readings of December 8, 2019  

(Second Sunday of Advent – Year A)

On December 8, 2019, the Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception (a holy day of obligation in many places) fell on a Sunday. In the Roman Rite (Ordinary Form), the Sunday liturgy of Advent takes precedence, so the Mass used the readings for the Second Sunday of Advent, while the Immaculate Conception was transferred to Monday, December 9, in many dioceses.

Here is a reflection based on the readings proclaimed that Sunday:

 First Reading: Isaiah 11:1-10  

A shoot shall sprout from the stump of Jesse... The spirit of the LORD shall rest upon him... Then the wolf shall be a guest of the lamb...

This beautiful prophetic vision from Isaiah paints a picture of hope amid apparent barrenness. The "stump of Jesse" reminds us that even when the royal line of David seemed cut down and lifeless, God promises new life—a Messiah filled with the Spirit who will bring perfect justice and peace. The harmony among creation (wolf and lamb, child and serpent) points to the restoration of Eden, where sin's curse is undone.

In Advent, we wait for this Messiah, Jesus Christ, who has already come yet will come again in glory to make all things new. The reading invites us to trust that God brings life from death, hope from despair.

 Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 72  

Justice shall flourish in his time, and fullness of peace forever.

This psalm prays for the ideal king whose reign brings justice, especially for the poor and afflicted. It echoes the Isaiah prophecy: true peace flows from righteousness. In Advent, we cry out for this kingdom to be realized fully, while recognizing that Jesus, the King of kings, has already begun this reign through His life, death, and resurrection.

 Second Reading: Romans 15:4-9  

...that by endurance and by the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope... Welcome one another, then, as Christ welcomed you...

St. Paul reminds us that Scripture is written for our instruction and encouragement, so that we may have hope. He calls for unity—Jews and Gentiles together praising God—because Christ has welcomed all into His mercy. Advent is a season of hope that unites us: hope in Christ's first coming, hope in His presence now, and hope in His final coming.

 Gospel: Matthew 3:1-12  

John the Baptist appeared, preaching in the desert of Judea and saying, "Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand!" ... Produce good fruit as evidence of your repentance...

John bursts onto the scene as the voice crying in the desert, preparing the way for the Lord (Isaiah 40). His message is urgent: Repent! The kingdom is near. He calls for genuine conversion—not relying on heritage ("We have Abraham as our father") but producing "good fruit" that shows a changed heart. John points beyond himself to the One mightier than he, who will baptize with the Holy Spirit and fire.

 Personal Reflection  

As we journey through Advent, these readings converge on a single, powerful invitation: Prepare the way of the Lord. Isaiah's vision of peace, the psalm's prayer for justice, Paul's call to unity, and John's bold summons to repentance all direct us toward Christ.

The world can feel like a "stump"—barren, divided, wounded by sin. Yet God promises new growth. John the Baptist challenges us not to be complacent but to examine our lives honestly: Where do I need conversion? Where am I relying on past privileges instead of present faithfulness? How can I welcome others as Christ has welcomed me?

Advent is not passive waiting; it is active preparation. Let us clear the path in our hearts through prayer, repentance, and works of mercy. Let us bear good fruit, so that when the Messiah comes—whether at Christmas, in the quiet moments of grace, or at the end of time—we may be ready to receive Him.

Come, Lord Jesus! May the Holy Spirit stir in us a deeper longing for Your kingdom, where justice and peace embrace, and may we prepare the way by lives transformed by Your grace.

Mary, who perfectly prepared her heart for the Lord, intercede for us during this holy season. Amen.  

(Reflection inspired by the USCCB lectionary readings for December 8, 2019 – Second Sunday of Advent.)

Today's readings: http://www.usccb.org/bible/readings/120819.cfm






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First Sunday of Advent: Be Awake!

What is Advent?
We are now in the holy season of Advent where we prepare for both the coming of Christ at Christmas and the second coming at the end of time.  It is a spiritual period in which to meditate on these two mysteries and prepare for them.  We use the wreath and 4 candles to mark down the 4 weeks before Christmas.  

Three of the candles are purple and one is pink.  The purple symbolizes preparation through penance and prayer.  Purple is also used during Lent.  Another way to see it is purple is a physical sign of healing. When we get hurt, the injury becomes purple.  During the time of healing, it remains purple until it clears up.  Sin hurts us and we need time to heal from it by using the Sacraments of Penance and Eucharist, Prayer, Fasting, Indulgences and a genuine Spiritual life.  

The pink is for the third Sunday or Gaudete Sunday which means "Sunday of Joy."   We are joyous because we are getting closer to Christ's birth.  As each week goes, we light the candle that corresponds to that week.  

Today's readings: http://www.usccb.org/bible/readings/120119.cfm



Keep watch and wait. This the main message of today's readings. We are now in the season of Advent. A new Liturgical year A cycle has begun. We begin with Christ just like we ended the last Liturgical year with Christ the King.  The first reading tells us of God's house being established at the high of mountains.  All nations will stream toward it. The people will seek this location and seek God there asking to walk in the light of the Lord. Advent is connected to this. We are on a spiritual journey to God who is the light. The Catholic Church is a collection of all people from every nation. She is the body of Christ leading us to Christ her spouse. This spiritual journey calls for us to make changes in our lives. We cannot live as we have in the past.

We must turn our swords into plowshares and spears into pruning hooks. In other words, the things in our lives which we used to engage in human nonsense and violence must be transformed to serve a purpose of life. Swords and spears do nothing but hurt others and ourselves. They serve no ultimate good purpose. While we can use them for self defense, which is not bad, we must seek to create a world where we do not need to defend ourselves because the only rule will be love. This is easier said than done. Human beings do not trust each other. Human beings prefer to be isolated and live in gloom and doom. This is not what the Catholic faith is about. We are the Easter people and alleluia is our song, as Saint Pope John Paul II said.  This is why today's responsorial Psalm says that we must go rejoicing to the house of the Lord. 

The Catholic faith must be about joy, not anger or bitterness. Unfortunately, we will always find some Catholics within every rank who see the faith as the Pharisees did. The faith to them is about judging others and nitpicking faults. Whether it is about the liturgy and claiming one form is better than another to attacking priests who wear short sleeve collar shirts.  The Church has no shortage of these Pharisees who promote gloom and doom. Rather, we must be awake from sleep, as the second reading tells us.  We must set the dark aside and seek the daylight.  We must conduct ourselves as in the day and not like those who party at night engaging in lust and drunkenness. This is what it means to be a good practicing Catholics. Ignore those who see the faith as a means to attack others, including our pope. Ignore those who can never say anything positive and just judge claiming to be righteous. This is not Catholicism.

We must be ready. Jesus will return. We must not be like those people in the days of Noah who laughed at his warnings and continued to live life as if nothing was going to happen. Jesus uses this analogy in today's Gospel.  In the days of Noah, the people continued to do whatever they did and ignored Noah.  Then out of nowhere, the rain came and washed away everyone. We must be focused on the task at hand and not think nothing is going to happen simply because we do not see angels blowing trumpets in the sky.  Jesus will return and it will be like a thief in the night without warning. This is why I say to ignore those Catholics out there who are focused on nostalgia for pre-Vatican II days and simply live their faith to attack and judge others, including the pope. These are like those from Noah's time who ignored God and focused on living in the night time, so to speak. They live life thinking they are doing right when they are doing evil. 

They live life as if God is not watching their evil deeds or as if saying a praying in Latin or receiving on the tongue is ensuring their salvation.  God does not hear the prayers of the wicked and Communion can bring condemnation, Scripture tells us.  Let us be like Noah who trusted the Lord and prepared. He built the ark and spread the message to all. Noah focused on saving others and not himself. We must be ready and not slack off. Jesus tells us this in the Gospel. We must stay awake for we will not know when the Lord will come. Like Noah, we must be ready.   This is what Advent is about. We must call out to the Lord and be ready for Him. 






Please help me continue this ministry by donating on my Paypal or www.gofundme.com/sacerdotus. Your donations will help pay for domain names to keep the site up and running, podcast subscriptions and the purchase/mailing of sacramentals and other materials.  Please consider becoming a patron or benefactor by donating on a monthly basis.  God will reward you!