Advent and Christmas Wisdom with St Alphonsus Liguori
9 December – The Second Sunday of Advent
God sent the Son to restore us to life.
“Consider that sin is the death of the soul, because this enemy of God deprives us of divine grace, which is the life of the soul. Therefore, we miserable sinners, were dead and condemned but God, through the immense love which the Father bears for us, determined to restore us to life. How die He accomplish this? He sent His only-begotten Son into the world to die, so that by His death, God might restore us to life.
Behold our Redeemer who has come “so that we might have life to the full.” For this purpose, Jesus accepted death, so that He might give us life. It is reasonable that we should live only in God. It is reasonable that Jesus should be the only sovereign of our heart, since He has spent His blood for us.”
Scripture
“Every valley shall be filled and every mountain and hill shall be brought low and the crooked shall be made straight and the rough ways shall be made smooth and all flesh shall see the salvation of God.”
Luke 3:5-6
“O my God! Who would be so ungrateful a wretch, as to believe that Jesus died to secure the love of sinful humanity and yet refuse to love Him.”
Prayer
Almighty and merciful God,
let neither our daily work
nor the cares of this life,
prevent us from hastening
to meet Your Son.
Lord, make straight
the winding ways within us.
Draw us to repent!
Enlighten us with Your wisdom
and lead us into His company,
that we may love Him
and do homage to Him.
Amen
ADVENT ACTION
It is John the Baptist coming out of the desert breathing the fire of repentance, dressed like an animal, who is the one preparing and making ready. This hints to us that the rest of the gift (Jesus at Christmas) will not be the perfect, shining diamond we would like but will represent the rougher side of life. The poor, the lame, the outcast and the sick will be part of the experience of the Christ Child in the stable and the adult Christ on the roads of Galilee. We are asked to prepare and to be ready, to accept this rough gift this Christmas!
AnaStpaul 