Theme: Jesus tells his disciples that they are to always be ready for the day of the Lord.

From the desk of Ms. Kathleen Cook, Director of Religious Education

Theme: Matthew 24:37-44 Jesus tells his disciples that the coming of the Son of Man will catch many people unprepared. Jesus tells his disciples that they are to always be ready for the day of the Lord.

Summary: Vigilance is the absolute theme of this passage from Matthew’s gospel selected for this First Sunday of Advent. Jesus clearly indicates that calamity often occurs when one is not prepared or focused on that which is important. For the follower of Jesus it is essential to keep our eyes fixed on Him and on the Kingdom He preached. We are called to be prepared, that is vigilant and not passive in our waiting for the coming of the Lord. This Sunday and the Second Sunday of Advent place an emphasis on the second coming of the Lord, whereas the Third and Fourth Sundays will emphasize the coming of the Lord in history.

Scripture :  "No one knows about that day or hour, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father. So you also must be ready, because the Son of Man will come at an hour when you do not expect him." Matthew 24:36,44 www.sermons4kids.com
 
Jesus told us that he would come again, but he didn't tell us what time he would be here. In fact, he said, "No one knows the day or hour when I will return. Only the Father knows. That is why you must be ready, I will come at a time when you least expect it." By doing the things that Jesus would want us to be doing -- loving one another, caring for the sick, feeding the hungry, and helping the poor. If we are doing those things, we will be ready when he comes.

Come to think of it, those are also the very same things that we should be doing to get ready for the celebration of Christmas! Instead of thinking about what we are going to get, we should be thinking about what we can give.

Dear Jesus, we look forward to the day when you return. Help us to live in such a way that we will be ready when you come. Amen.

Key Words in Today’s Readings: www.livingwithchrist.us
First Reading: Isaiah 2:1-5

When the prophet Isaiah speaks of the mountain of the Lord’s house, he is referring to the temple of Jerusalem. In saying it is the highest of the mountains, Isaiah wants to communicate that there will come a time when the God of Israel will be known and revered by all the people of the world.

Jacob was a grandson of Abraham and father of twelve sons, after whom the twelve tribes of Israel were named. The house of Jacob was another way to refer to all the people of Israel.

Second Reading: Romans 13:11-14

The works of darkness are bad actions that break our friendship with God and other people. We prefer to keep them hidden or out of the light, because we’re not proud of what we have done.

The armor of light is our willingness and desire to follow the teachings of Jesus. To be friends of Jesus we must be ready to struggle against all that might distance us from God.

Gospel: Matthew 24:37-44

Noah was the just man chosen by God to be saved from the flood, along with his family and two of every animal. God asked Noah to build a huge boat, called an ark, in which he, his family and the animals lived during the flood.

To stay awake is to avoid sleep throughout the night. However, it also means to be alert so that nothing can surprise us. Christians must live in such a way that we’re ready at any moment to meet our Lord.