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Showing posts with the label Advent

'What, at this moment of my life, does my heart long for?' Sunday Reflections, 1st Sunday of Advent, Year A

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Madonna del Terremoto (Our Lady of the Earthquake) Francesco di Giorgio Martini  [ Web Gallery of Art ] Readings   (New American Bible: Philippines, USA) Readings (Jerusalem Bible: Australia, England & Wales, India [optional], Ireland, New Zealand, Pakistan, Scotland, South Africa) Gospel  Matthew 24:37-44 ( New Revised Standard Version, Anglicised Catholic Edition, Canada)     Jesus said to his disciples: ‘For as the days of Noah were, so will be the coming of the Son of Man. For as in those days before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day Noah entered the ark, and they knew nothing until the flood came and swept them all away, so too will be the coming of the Son of Man. Then two will be in the field; one will be taken and one will be left. Two women will be grinding meal together; one will be taken and one will be left.  ‘Keep awake therefore, for you do not know on what day your Lord is coming.

'Blessed is the fruit of your womb.' Sunday Reflections, 4th Sunday of Advent, Year C

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Visitation , Luca della Robbia  [ Web Gallery of Art ] Readings   (New American Bible: Philippines, USA) Readings   (Jerusalem Bible: Australia, England & Wales, India [optional], Ireland, New Zealand, Pakistan, Scotland, South Africa) Gospel   Luke 1:39-45 ( New Revised Standard Version, Anglicised Catholic Edition)      In those days Mary set out and went with haste to a Judean town in the hill country,  where she entered the house of Zechariah and greeted Elizabeth.  When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the child leapt in her womb. And Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit  and exclaimed with a loud cry, ‘Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb.  And why has this happened to me, that the mother of my Lord comes to me?  For as soon as I heard the sound of your greeting, the child in my womb leapt for joy.   And blessed is she who believed that there would be a fulfilment of what was spoken to her by the Lord.’ The Vi

'Again I will say, rejoice.' Sunday Reflections, 3rd Sunday of Advent, Year C

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St John the Baptist with Saints , Cima da Conegliano  [ Web Gallery of Art ] Readings   (New American Bible: Philippines, USA) Readings   (Jerusalem Bible: Australia, England & Wales, India [optional], Ireland, New Zealand, Pakistan, Scotland, South Africa) Gospel   Luke 3:10-18 ( New Revised Standard Version, Anglicised Catholic Edition)      And the crowds asked John the Baptist, ‘What then should we do?’  In reply he said to them, ‘Whoever has two coats must share with anyone who has none; and whoever has food must do likewise.’  Even tax-collectors came to be baptized, and they asked him, ‘Teacher, what should we do?’  He said to them, ‘Collect no more than the amount prescribed for you.’  Soldiers also asked him, ‘And we, what should we do?’ He said to them, ‘Do not extort money from anyone by threats or false accusation, and be satisfied with your wages.’ As the people were filled with expectation, and all were questioning in their hearts concernin

'There is nothing further for God to say.' Sunday Reflections, 2nd Sunday of Advent, Year C

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Linaioli Tabernacle, St John the Baptist , Fra Angelico  [ Web Gallery of Art ] Readings   (New American Bible: Philippines, USA) Readings   (Jerusalem Bible: Australia, England & Wales, India [optional], Ireland, New Zealand, Pakistan, Scotland, South Africa) Gospel   Luke 3:1-6 ( New Revised Standard Version, Anglicised Catholic Edition)      In the fifteenth year of the reign of Emperor Tiberius, when Pontius Pilate was governor of Judea, and Herod was ruler of Galilee, and his brother Philip ruler of the region of Ituraea and Trachonitis, and Lysanias ruler of Abilene, during the high-priesthood of Annas and Caiaphas, the word of God came to John son of Zechariah in the wilderness. He went into all the region around the Jordan, proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins, as it is written in the book of the words of the prophet Isaiah, ‘The voice of one crying out in the wilderness: “Prepare the way of the Lord,