Advent and Christmas Wisdom with St Alphonsus Liguori
10 December – Monday of the Second week of Advent
God’s Son demonstrates His love in the Redemption
“Consider that the eternal Word is so infinitely happy that even the salvation of all humankind could not have added anything to this happiness or diminished it in any way.
Consider also, that despite this, He has nevertheless suffered so much for us – only God is capable of loving to such excess humankind, who is so unworthy of being loved.
A devout mother once wrote ‘if Jesus Christ had permited us to ask Him to give us the greatest proof of His love, who would have asked that He should become a child, that He should clothe Himself with all of our miseries and make Himself poor, despised and ill-treated, even to being put to death by the hands of an executioner and to be cursed and forsaken by all?’
O my Jesus, I am a poor creature and I was lost through my sins but You came to save the lost. What then should I fear, if I am willing to amend my life and become Yours?”
Scripture
“But that you may know that the Son of man has authority on earth to forgive sins”, He said to the man who was paralysed—“I say to you, rise, take up your bed and go home.” And immediately he rose before them and took up that on which he lay and went home, glorifying God.”
Luke 5:24-25
Prayer
Almighty Lord and God
do not let us turn aside to any sin
but let our every thought,
word and deed,
aim at doing what is pleasing in Your sight.
Protect us by Your power,
even as You have enable us to begin it.
Guide our feet in the ways of Your happiness.
Accept our prayers for our neighbour in need.
Amen
Advent Action
In today’s Gospel Jesus gives life to the dead limbs of a paralytic. In Jesus, all the prophecies of life springing from our ‘dead limbs’ find their fulfilment and become alive. Blessed was this paralytic who had such wonderful friends who were so convinced of the power of Jesus. Thank you Lord, for all the good friends who have helped me to come into Your presence when my spirit was numb and paralysed. Let us add all those in trials to our daily Advent prayer. For the prayers on behalf of others, brings us all together to become sharers in the faith of the Saints and of the whole Church. Let us pray for all those in need, each day of Advent.
AnaStpaul 