🙏 Opening Prayer (1st Sunday of Advent)
Lord our God,
as we begin this holy season of Advent,
wake us from spiritual sleep
and turn our hearts towards your Son.
Teach us to walk in your light,
to rejoice in your house,
and to live each day ready for Christ’s coming—
in our hearts, in the sacraments,
and at the end of time.
Through Christ our Lord. Amen.
📖 First Reading – Isaiah 2:1–5
Theme: God’s mountain, peace, and walking in His light.
“In days to come, the mountain of the LORD’s house
shall be established as the highest mountain…
They shall beat their swords into plowshares…
O house of Jacob, come, let us walk in the light of the LORD!” USCCB
CCC references
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CCC 64 – Prophets keep alive the hope of a new and everlasting covenant.
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CCC 2317 – Peace is the work of justice and the effect of charity.
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CCC 762 – God gathers all nations into His people, prefigured by Zion/Jerusalem. YouTube
Simple explanation
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Isaiah sees a future where all nations come to God to learn His ways.
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Weapons become tools: war is replaced by peace and justice.
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Advent starts with this big hope: God really wants a world of peace, and He begins it in His people (the Church).
Application (Catholics & Catechumens)
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Ask: Where am I contributing to conflict—at home, online, at work?
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Choose one “sword” to turn into a “ploughshare”:
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Replace harsh words with encouragement.
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Replace gossip with prayer for the person.
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Walk “in the light of the Lord” by staying close to the Mass and daily prayer this Advent.
🎵 Responsorial Psalm – Psalm 122:1–2, 3–4, 4–5, 6–7, 8–9
Response: “Let us go rejoicing to the house of the Lord.” USCCB
CCC references
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CCC 2581 – Jerusalem and the Temple are places of prayer and encounter with God.
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CCC 2795 – Our prayer is oriented toward the “heavenly Jerusalem.”
Simple explanation
The psalmist is happy to go to God’s house and prays for peace in Jerusalem.
For us today: the “house of the Lord” is above all the Church and the Eucharist.
Application
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Prepare for Sunday Mass like an important appointment with God, not just a routine.
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Before Mass, pray:
“Lord, let there be peace in my parish, my family, and my heart.”
📖 Second Reading – Romans 13:11–14
“It is the hour now for you to awake from sleep…
The night is advanced, the day is at hand.
Let us then throw off the works of darkness and put on the armor of light…
Put on the Lord Jesus Christ.” USCCB
CCC references
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CCC 1428 – Lifelong conversion: we must continually turn back to God.
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CCC 1810 – Virtues help us live as “children of the light.”
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CCC 2849 – God gives grace to resist temptation and be delivered from evil. catholiccrossreference.online+1
Simple explanation
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Paul says: Wake up! Don’t live in spiritual darkness.
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“Night” = life dominated by sin; “day” = life lived in Christ’s light.
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To “put on Christ” means living so that He shapes our choices, habits, speech, and relationships.
Application
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Identify one concrete “work of darkness”: impurity, bitterness, dishonesty, addiction, hatred.
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Advent resolution:
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Catholics – plan a good Confession during Advent.
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Catechumens – start forming your conscience; honestly name where you need God’s mercy and change.
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Practically “put on Christ” by a small, daily habit: a morning offering, a decade of the Rosary, or reading the Gospel of the day.
📖 Gospel – Matthew 24:37–44
“As it was in the days of Noah, so it will be at the coming of the Son of Man…
Therefore, stay awake! For you do not know on which day your Lord will come…
You also must be prepared, for at an hour you do not expect, the Son of Man will come.” USCCB
CCC references
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CCC 673 – Christ’s coming in glory is certain; the time remains unknown.
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CCC 1040 – The Last Judgment calls us to conversion now.
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CCC 2612 – Jesus’ teaching on vigilance and prayer. YouTube
Simple explanation
Jesus warns that His coming will be sudden and unexpected—like the flood in Noah’s time or a thief at night.
Not to scare us, but to say:
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Don’t live on spiritual autopilot.
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Be ready by living as a friend of Jesus, not by guessing dates.
Application
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Do a short “readiness check”:
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If Jesus came today, what would I regret?
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What would I be glad He finds me doing?
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Daily habit for Advent:
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Each night, make a 2–3 minute examen:
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Thank God for graces today.
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Ask forgiveness for sins.
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Ask for help to do better tomorrow.
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Catechumens: see this Gospel as a loving wake-up call from Jesus, inviting you deeper into conversion and trust.
🌱 Note Especially for Catechumens
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Advent is a season of hope and preparation—for Christmas and for Jesus’ final coming.
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God is patient; He gives you time now to grow, ask questions, and be formed.
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Stay close to:
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the Sunday readings,
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your RCIA group,
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simple acts of charity and forgiveness,
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and daily, honest prayer.
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🙏 Closing Prayer
Lord Jesus,
you invite us to stay awake and be ready for your coming.
In this Advent season,
turn our hearts from darkness to light,
from fear to trust,
from selfishness to love.
Strengthen Catholics and catechumens alike
to walk in your ways,
to rejoice in your house,
and to live each day clothed in you.
You who live and reign with the Father
in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
God, forever and ever.
Amen.
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