Today is the 1st Sunday of Advent. A time to prepare ourselves for the coming of Christ. In The Family of the Good Shepherd home we use the Jesse Tree as well as the Advent Wreath to help us count the time of preparing for the birthday of Jesus! Remember Christmas starts December 25 and goes until Epiphany, around January 6!
Here are the 1st Reading and Gospel for today:
Reading 1IS 2:1-5
This is what Isaiah, son of Amoz,
saw concerning Judah and Jerusalem.
In days to come,
the mountain of the LORD’s house
shall be established as the highest mountain
and raised above the hills.
All nations shall stream toward it;
many peoples shall come and say:
“Come, let us climb the LORD’s mountain,
to the house of the God of Jacob,
that he may instruct us in his ways,
and we may walk in his paths.”
For from Zion shall go forth instruction,
and the word of the LORD from Jerusalem.
He shall judge between the nations,
and impose terms on many peoples.
They shall beat their swords into plowshares
and their spears into pruning hooks;
one nation shall not raise the sword against another,
nor shall they train for war again.
O house of Jacob, come,
let us walk in the light of the Lord!
The Word of the Lord! Thanks be to God!
GospelMT 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.”
The Gospel of the Lord! Praise to you Lord Jesus Christ!
Before the 1st Sunday of Advent we in the US celebrated Thanksgiving Day. A day to remember to be Thankful all year in all things.
Some pictures of Thanksgiving meal prep, in which the girls helped and the dog hoped for treats. Making our Advent Candles, our ministries Christmas Tree at Stuhr museum, sledding fun and our Jesse Tree.
