FrNikola

1st Week of Advent, Friday

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In today’s First Reading one of the signs of salvation will be the blind coming out of gloom and darkness to see. The two blind men in today’s Gospel “see” Jesus as the Messiah, and they express that faith to him while asking for his mercy. Unlike other accounts of Our Lord healing blind men, this one is done behind closed doors: Our Lord in silence and privacy wants this just between him and them.

He makes it clear that the miracle depends on their faith in him being able to do what they are asking of him. The miracle will be a sign of the depth of their faith, and, thankfully, their faith is deep enough. Faith in Our Lord is what leads us out of gloom and darkness, especially spiritual gloom and darkness. In Advent we remember in a penitential spirit that darkness we’ve walked into through our sins, but also the true light about to come into the world on Christmas Day to lead us out of that darkness if we have faith in him.

Do you believe Our Lord can lead you out of any spiritual darkness or myopia you may be experiencing? Advent is a time to get ready to ask him to restore your sight when he appears on Christmas Day.

Readings: Isaiah 29:17–24; Psalm 27:1, 4, 13–14; Matthew 9:27–31.

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1st Week of Advent, Thursday

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In today’s Gospel Our Lord invites us to use the season of Advent to go beyond the routine tinsel, glitter, and blinking lights and welcome him into our hearts as the foundation on which we can build a holier life. It’s easy to fall into a routine of “Happy Holidays” and “Seasons Greetings,” but all the decorations and celebrations are to welcome someone special into our life, or acknowledge what a special role he has already had; even “Merry Christmas” can focus more on the merriment and not on whose birth we’re welcoming and celebrating.

When Our Lord invites us today to go beyond lip service and seek to do the Father’s will, his incarnation and birth are an example of precisely that. He chose to become flesh and dwell among us, because he loved us and he loved Our Father. His life is built on that from here to eternity.

Advent is a time of conversion, and conversion can also mean living a more solid life. Let’s continue to live Advent as a preparation for founding or re-founding our life on Our Lord on Christmas Day and beyond.

Readings: Isaiah 26:1–6; Psalm 118:1, 8–9, 19–21, 25–27a; Matthew 7:21, 24–27. See also 12th Week in Ordinary Time, Thursday.

1st Week of Advent, Wednesday

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Today’s Gospel is characterized by helping the sick and the hungry, but is also characterized by help in abundance. When we are sick or in need we don’t hope for much more than an improvement in our condition and “our daily bread.” Sometime we eke out out existence, living one day at a time, balancing our budget to alleviate our complaints without starving. The crowds were in the same situation, and suddenly everyone who comes for healing is not only given a little relief, but completely restored to health. The crowds would have appreciated simply a piece of bread to fight off the hunger pangs before they went on their way, but they ended up having all the fish and bread they could eat, and leftovers in abundance.

Advent represents that period before Our Lord’s incarnation and birth where we could hope for no more than eking out a spiritual existence: all of mankind was crippled and starved for grace and mercy, and without help all they had to expect was spiritual starvation and death. The Lord did not just bless them with more help, he came in Person in order to bless us with a grace beyond a full stomach or a clean bill of health: salvation and eternal life, to never hunger again or suffer again.

Let’s continue preparing during Advent for Our Lord’s birth, thankful for the blessings in abundance that he has already bestowed upon us, but also showing our gratitude by helping those in spiritual or material need so that they too can experience Our Lord’s abundance through us.

Readings: Isaiah 25:6–10a; Psalm 23:1–6; Matthew 15:29–37. See also 17th Sunday in Ordinary Time, Cycle B.

1st Week of Advent, Tuesday

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In today’s Gospel Our Lord invites us to consider the mysteries of faith with childlike simplicity and wonder, not as an intellectual accomplishment or the fruit of our efforts. The time of Advent is a time of renewing our wonder at how the Lord chose to reestablish communication with us after the Fall: by becoming flesh and dwelling among us, full of grace and truth.

The Christ-child in the manger at Bethlehem speaks more volumes than the most illustrious professor. Contemplating the Son of God, small and weak, has captured the hearts and imaginations of saints throughout the centuries. Contemplating Our Lord’s coming at Christmas and the way in which he is coming reminds us that this is an unmerited blessing and gift from God that many before his coming were longing for.

Advent has barely begun. Let’s renew our sense of silent and simple wonder at the great blessing that will come on Christmas night.

Readings: Isaiah 11:1–10; Psalm 72:1–2, 7–8, 12, 13, 17; Luke 10:21–24.

St. Andrew the Apostle

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Of the Twelve apostles there were four blood brothers: Peter and Andrew, and James and John. Today in celebrating the feast of St. Andrew, St. Peter’s brother, we are also celebrating a brotherhood in the Lord that every believer dreams of for his family. In John’s Gospel it was Andrew who first met Our Lord, and then introduced him to Peter.

Having a brother who not only shares your blood, but also your faith is a blessing indeed. Even more beautiful is a brother who can help you discover your vocation. For Andrew this brotherhood in Christ went beyond his immediate family. When some Greeks wished to speak with Our Lord, they went to Andrew. Andrew represents the brotherhood between the Greek-speaking Eastern Churches and the Latin-speaking Western ones.

Let’s pray today for families to be not only families of blood, but families of faith, so that they can help each other to discover God’s plan in their lives.

Readings: Romans 10:9–18; Psalm 19:8–11; Matthew 4:18–22.