Gospel reading, commentary, questions for discussion, and actions to take to live your faith every day.
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This Week's Gospel Reading
November 27, 2016
Read
Matthew 24:37-44
Jesus said to his disciples: "As it was in the days of Noah, so it will be at the coming of the Son of Man. In those days before the flood, they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, up to the day that Noah entered the ark. They did not know until the flood came and carried them all away. So will it be also at the coming of the Son of Man. Two men will be out in the field; one will be taken, and one will be left. Two women will be grinding at the mill; one will be taken, and one will be left. Therefore, stay awake! For you do not know on which day your Lord will come. Be sure of this: if the master of the house had known the hour of night when the thief was coming, he would have stayed awake and not let his house be broken into. So too, you also must be prepared, for at an hour you do not expect, the Son of Man will come."
Understand
By Father Greg Friedman, OFM
The approach of the holiday season usually finds me in search of what I like to call the "lost Christmas," a fantasy combination of my childhood memories. A treasured ornament, a worn, shabby Santa figure, an heirloom nativity scene—all these can evoke powerful recollections of how I remember Christmas as a child, when life was less complicated. It's probably closer to fantasy than reality, since I can easily "edit out" unpleasant memories.
It's easy to get caught up in Christmas nostalgia, and to forget the central truth of the season: God is breaking into our troubled world. The Scripture readings for this first Sunday in Advent urge us to wake up to what is happening here and now. This is the hour of salvation, Paul tells the Romans. And he echoes Jesus' words in Matthew's Gospel: We must be prepared, focused on making our hearts ready to receive God—at every moment of our lives.
Jesus says that the people in Noah's time didn't have a clue what was going on when they got caught in the big flood. Have you ever been caught by surprise? How did you feel when that happened?
Jesus said that we don't know when the end of time will be. But he said that we should be ready. How can we get ready for the end of the world?
What do you think Jesus meant when he said that, at the end of time, two men or two women will be working side-by-side and one will be take and one will be left? Could it mean that one person was ready for Jesus' coming and the other wasn't?
Act
By Susan Hines-Brigger
What are your family's plans for living out the season of Advent? Plan things that you can do together to celebrate the Christmas season, such as collecting items for those in need.
This is the first Sunday of Advent, so welcome the season by setting up your Advent wreath. If you don't have one, make one. Some years, our family Advent wreath was made out of construction paper.
Before entering the Ark, it sounds as if Noah and his family were having a lot of fun. Ask your parents if you can invite some friends over and make handmade Christmas gifts for family members.
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