Second Sunday of Advent (A)

Is. 11:1-10; Rom. 15:4-9; Mt. 3:1-12

Today's First Reading from the Book of Isaiah [Is. 11:1-10] consisted of a descriptive prophecy related to the coming of the ideal king from David's line. It began by proclaiming that "A shoot shall come out from the stump of Jesse, and a branch shall grow out of his roots." [Is. 11:1] Jesse was the father of king David, from whom the Judean kings descended.

When Isaiah said, "The wolf shall live with the lamb, the leopard shall lie down with the kid, the calf and the lion and the fatling together, and a little child shall lead them..." [Is. 11:6] he was providing a picture of a Messianic era when paradise would be restored. 

The Gospel of Matthew affirms that Jesus was the King referred to, He, being of the root of Jesse who was the father of David. [Mt. 1:5-6; Rev. 5:5, 22:16]

Today's Reading from the Gospel of Matthew [Mt. 3:1-12] began by telling us that Saint John the Baptist proclaimed a baptism of repentance in the wilderness of Judea. John's message was one of repentance in preparation for the Kingdom of Heaven that

First Sunday of Lent (A)

 Isaiah 2: 1-5; Romans 13: 11-14; Matthew 24: 37-44

History often reminds us that great moments come only to those who prepare for them. In the winter of 1914, during the “Christmas Truce” of the First World War, British and German soldiers who were only hours earlier shooting at each other suddenly laid down their weapons, stepped out of their trenches, and began exchanging small gifts, singing carols, and even playing football. What made that extraordinary night possible was not politics or command—it was the spirit of Christmas approaching. Something in the season stirred the human soul to long for peace, purity, and reconciliation. The men prepared themselves inwardly for something higher than hatred. It was as if, for a moment, they lifted their eyes from the mud of the trenches toward the promise of heaven. Advent is such a moment for the Church—a season where God invites us to step out of the trenches of sin, conflict, routine, and spiritual sleep, and to prepare for the coming of the Lord with hearts awakened, cleansed, and renewed.

Isaiah’s prophecy today opens with a magnificent vision: “In days to come, the mountain of the Lord’s house shall be established as the highest of the mountains…

Christ the King (C)

 2 Sam. 5:1-3; Col. 1:12-20; Lk. 23:35-43.

There is a story told about King Edward VII of England. One cold winter night, King Edward was traveling in disguise, as he sometimes did, to understand how his people lived. As he walked the streets of London, he noticed a small crowd gathered outside a poor tenement building. A fire had broken out, and people were crying because a little boy was trapped upstairs. The fire brigade had not yet arrived, and the crowd was too afraid to enter the burning building.

Without revealing who he was, the king pushed his way forward, took off his heavy coat, and rushed into the flames. Moments later, he emerged coughing and burned, carrying the frightened child in his arms. Only after placing the child safely in his mother’s embrace did the people recognize him and kneel in shock. When his advisors scolded him later, he simply said, “A king’s life is worth no more than the life of one of his subjects.”

That night, he was not called “Your Majesty.” He was called “The King Who Saved.”