Fourth Sunday of Advent Year

There is a shift today’s gospel with the focus away from the end times to the lead up to Jesus’ birth and Joseph’s reaction to the announcement of Mary’s pregnancy. The words “Do not be afraid” are heard as always when something new happens in the scriptures with a call to be open to God in changing times. Fear continues to be a guest on our national table as well as our personal lives. It motivates the decisions of our national leaders, our neighbours, and friends. It holds us back from a more humane and compassionate future and recognise the burdens all of us, near or far, also carry.

Third Sunday of Advent Year A

What do we anticipate from God in our day to day life? How do we expect God to exercise power in our world? What results do we anticipate as a result of prayers for peace and justice, for the sick or for refugees?

The philosopher, Immanuel Kant said that all important human questions can be reduced to three: What can I know? What ought I do?  and What may I hope for? The last approximates John’s question today, ‘Are you the one who is to come, or are we to wait for another?’ It was not an academic question. He needed to know, ‘Has my whole life been a waste?’ 

Second of Advent Year A

We are being prepared to bring God into our hearts, lives, and world. Isaiah wants to inspire dreams where we envision universal peace when all creatures will have evolved beyond aggression because we enjoy and shared everything necessary for genuine thriving. Through ecological imagery, Isaiah shows us what peace in God’s reign will look like: the gentle cohabitation of predator and prey – wolves and lambs, the lion shall eat straw like an ox.  This vision of peace is a vision for all Creation—human and non-human. We are a part of this vision.