Advent ~ 2015

Liturgical Colour: Purple/Violet (First Sunday, Second Sunday and Fourth Sunday), and Pink/Rose (Third Sunday).

Advent a time of

Spiritual Waiting, Joyful Expectation, 

Hopeful Longing and Yearning 

the coming of 

our Messiah and Saviour Jesus.

Let every heart prepare Him room.

O Come, O Come, Emmanuel.

The word advent, from Latin, means �the coming.� The first day of Advent season always fall on the Sunday after the Solemnity of Christ King and in 2015, Advent begins on 29 November. The season of Advent is about four weeks and ends on Christmas Eve. The First Sunday of Advent also marks the beginning of the new liturgical year for the Church. The Third Sunday of Advent also known as "Gaudete Sunday" (in Latin meaning "Rejoice!�), as the �Entrance Antiphon: Rejoice in the Lord always; again I say, rejoice! The Lord is near." of the Third Sunday of Advent Mass is taken from Paul's letter to the Philippians (Phil 4:4+5b). 

Christians prepare by reflecting on the birth of Jesus in Bethlehem 2000 years ago (our Saviour first coming) and also look forward for the time when Christ will come again (our Saviour next coming) though no knows actually when Christ will come again but we are reminded to always alert and ready.

"Keep awake therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour.� (Matthew 25:13)

�But about that day and hour no one knows, neither the angels of heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father.�(Matthew 24:36)

�You also must be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an unexpected hour.�" (Luke 12:40)

When the Church celebrates the liturgy of Advent each year, she makes present this ancient expectancy of the Messiah, for by sharing in the long preparation for the Saviour's first coming, the faithful renew their ardent desire for his second coming. The birth of Jesus, the first coming of our Savior as foretold by the Prophet Isaiah,� For a child has been born for us, a son given to us; authority rests upon his shoulders; and he is named Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. His authority shall grow continually, and there shall be endless peace for the throne of David and his kingdom. He will establish and uphold it with justice and with righteousness from this time onward and forever more. The zeal of the Lord of hosts will do this.� (Isaiah 9:6-7) 

A popular tradition of Advent is the Advent wreath, which is a feature in many Christian homes and churches during Advent. The Advent wreath contains four candles, three purple and one pink or rose, and some contain an optional extra fifth white candle in the middle of the wreath. The three purple candles symbolize hope, peace, and love, and they are lit on the first, second, and fourth Sundays of Advent. The pink or rose candle symbolizes joy, and lit on the third Sunday. The optional fifth white candle is lit on Christmas day, symbolizes the birth of Jesus, the light of the world. 

Before lighting each candle weekly, say the following weekly prayer.

First Week

All-powerful God, increase our strength of will for doing good that Christ may find an eager welcome at his coming and call us to his side in the kingdom of heaven, where he lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit one God, forever and ever. AMEN.

Second Week

God of power and mercy open our hearts in welcome. Remove the things that hinder us from receiving Christ with joy so that we may share his wisdom and become one with him when he comes in glory, for he lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, forever and ever. AMEN.

Third Week

Lord God may we, your people, who look forward to the birthday of Christ experience the joy of salvation and celebrate that feast with love and thanksgiving. We ask this through Christ our Lord. AMEN.

Fourth Week

Father, all-powerful God, your eternal Word took flesh on our earth when the Virgin Mary placed her life at the service of your plan. Lift our minds in watchful hope to hear the voice which announces his glory and open our minds to receive the Spirit who prepares us for his coming. We ask this through Christ our Lord. AMEN.

Source of weekly Advent prayer (before the respective Advent candle is lit): www.loyolapress.com

Other feast and solemnity that fall within the Advent season are:

• 30 November - Feast of St. Andrew, the Apostle.
• 8 December - Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary.
• 12 December - Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe.

Pray for Paris @ France

Let us pray for Paris @ France, 

May the Lord, 

rebuke the terrorist attack, 

keep His people safe 

and restore the peace in Paris. 

Amen.

Love others selflessly and unconditionally

The love of God compels us to give our best

How can we love others selflessly and unconditionally? Scripture tells us that God himself is love (1 John 4:16) - he is the author of life and the source of all true relationships of love and friendship. He created us in love for love, and he fills our hearts with the boundless love that gives whatever is good for the sake of another (Romans 5:5). If we love one another, God abides in us and his love is perfected in us (1 John 4:12).

source: Kairos-EME

The Solemnity Our Lord Jesus Christ the King, King of the Universe (Feast of Christ the King) ~ 22 November 2015

The feast of Christ the King instituted in 1925 by Pope Pius XI. His Encyclical on the feast of Christ the King "Quas Primas" was promulgated on 11 December 1925. The feast of Christ the King is celebrated on the last Sunday of Ordinary Time which is the Sunday before Advent.

Liturgical Colour : White / Gold

We honour and proclaim Kingship of Christ and His royalty over men,

• Christ is God, the Creator of the universe and has supreme and absolute dominion over all His creations.
• Christ is our Redeemer, He suffered and was crucified, and died, He purchase our salvation by His precious blood that flow down the Holy Cross and we now belong to Him. "You were not redeemed with corruptible things, but with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb unspotted and undefiled."We are no longer our own property, for Christ has purchased us "with a great price"
• Christ is the Head of the Church, and we are His people, the body of the Church.
• God gave Christ the nations of the world for Him to rule and all knees shall bow, praise, worship and glorify before Him our Divine Messiah , from the Blood of David, the Lion of Judah. It is Christ whom the Father "hath appointed heir of all things"; "for he must reign until at the end of the world he hath put all his enemies under the feet of God and the Father. "While nations insult the beloved name of Christ our Redeemer by suppressing all mention of it in their conferences and parliaments, we must all the more loudly proclaim his kingly dignity and power, all the more universally affirm his rights.

"For a child is born to us and a son is given to us, and the government is upon his shoulder, and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, God the mighty, the Father of the world to come, the Prince of Peace. His empire shall be multiplied, and there shall be no end of peace. He shall sit upon the throne of David and upon his kingdom; to establish it and strengthen it with judgement and with justice, from henceforth and for ever."

Jesus Christ our King must reign in our minds, which should assent with perfect submission and firm belief to revealed truths and to the doctrines of Christ. He must reign in our wills, which should obey the laws and precepts of God. He must reign in our hearts, which should spurn natural desires and love God above all things, and cleave to him alone. He must reign in our bodies and in our members, which should serve as instruments for the interior sanctification of our souls.

Christ our King is not an oppressive ruler, but one who is willing to die for humanity and whose "loving-kindness endures forever." He gives us true freedom, freedom in Him and therefore we must never forget that Christ radically redefined and transformed the concept of kingship. Christ's kingship is one of humility and service, as Jesus said in the gospel;

• For the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life a ransom for many.� (Mark 10:45)
• Pilate asked Jesus, �Are you the King of the Jews?�.... Jesus answered, �My kingdom is not from this world. If my kingdom were from this world, my followers would be fighting to keep me from being handed over to the Jews. But as it is, my kingdom is not from here.� Pilate asked him, �So you are a king?� Jesus answered, �You say that I am a king. For this I was born, and for this I came into the world, to testify to the truth. Everyone who belongs to the truth listens to my voice.� (John 33b, 36-37)

"Thy throne, O God, is for ever and ever; 

the scepter of thy kingdom 

is a scepter of righteousness."

We glorify and praised, 

Jesus Christ the King, King of all the Universe.

He alone is Just and full of Mercy and Love. 

Almighty ever-living God, whose will is to restore all things in your beloved Son, the King of the universe, grant, we pray, that the whole creation, set free from slavery, may render your majesty service and ceaselessly proclaim your praise. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

Reading 1

Daniel 7:13-14As the visions during the night continued, I saw
one like a Son of man coming,
on the clouds of heaven;
when he reached the Ancient One
and was presented before him,
the one like a Son of man received dominion, glory, and kingship;
all peoples, nations, and languages serve him.
His dominion is an everlasting dominion
that shall not be taken away,
his kingship shall not be destroyed.

Responsorial Psalm 

Psalm 93:1, 1-2, 5
R. The LORD is king; he is robed in majesty.
The LORD is king, in splendour robed;
robed is the LORD and girt about with strength.
R. The LORD is king; he is robed in majesty.
And he has made the world firm,
not to be moved.
Your throne stands firm from of old;
from everlasting you are, O LORD.
R. The LORD is king; he is robed in majesty.
Your decrees are worthy of trust indeed;
holiness befits your house,
O LORD, for length of days.
R. The LORD is king; he is robed in majesty.


Reading 2

Revelation 1:5-8
Jesus Christ is the faithful witness,
the firstborn of the dead and ruler of the kings of the earth.
To him who loves us and has freed us from our sins by his blood,
who has made us into a kingdom, priests for his God and Father,
to him be glory and power forever and ever. Amen.
Behold, he is coming amid the clouds,
and every eye will see him,
even those who pierced him.
All the peoples of the earth will lament him.
Yes. Amen.
"I am the Alpha and the Omega, " says the Lord God,
"the one who is and who was and who is to come, the almighty."

Alleluia
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!
Blessed is the kingdom of our father David that is to come!
R. Alleluia, alleluia.

Gospel

John 18:33b-37

Pilate said to Jesus,
"Are you the King of the Jews?"
Jesus answered, "Do you say this on your own
or have others told you about me?"
Pilate answered, "I am not a Jew, am I?
Your own nation and the chief priests handed you over to me.
What have you done?"
Jesus answered, "My kingdom does not belong to this world.
If my kingdom did belong to this world,
my attendants would be fighting
to keep me from being handed over to the Jews.
But as it is, my kingdom is not here."
So Pilate said to him, "Then you are a king?"
Jesus answered, "You say I am a king.
For this I was born and for this I came into the world,
to testify to the truth.
Everyone who belongs to the truth listens to my voice."

First Holy Communion Prayer

My Jesus, 

I believe that You are present 

in the Most Holy Sacrament. 

I love You above all things, 

and I desire to receive You 

into my soul. 

I believe it because 

you have said it and 

I am ready to give my life 

to maintain this truth. 

Amen.