EUCHARISTIC ADORATION
THROUGH THE LITURGICAL YEAR (Vol. 3, n. 1)
1st Sunday of Advent, Year C
December 3-9, 2006
“He Will Come Again …”
(+) In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
(A moment of silence)
SONG: Any Eucharistic hymn, Advent hymn or any appropriate song may be sung.
INTRODUCTION
(Cf. Pierre Teilhard de Chardin in Meditations on the Sunday Gospel, Year C, ed. By John Rotelle, New York: New City Press, 1998, p. 14-15)
From the historical point of view, expectation of the parousia has never ceased to guide the progress of our faith like a torch. The Israelites were constantly on the watch for the Lord’s coming; so too were the first Christians. Christmas, which one might think would have turned our minds toward the past, has actually carried them further forward into the future. For one moment the Messiah appeared in our midst, allowing himself to be seen and touched; then he vanished again, more luminous and mysterious than before, into the impenetrable depths of the future. He has come. Yet now, once again, we must go on expecting him more than ever. This time it is no longer a small chosen group that awaits his coming; it is the whole of humanity. The Lord Jesus will only come soon if we ardently long for him. The breakthrough of the parousia will be the result of a mounting flood of desire … No matter what the price, we must rekindle in ourselves the desire and hope for the great future coming.
SILENT ADORATION
OPENING PRAYER
Leader: Father in heaven,
our hearts desire the warmth of your love
and our minds are searching for the light of your Word.
Increase our longing for Christ our Savior
and give us the strength to grow in love,
that the dawn of his coming
may find us rejoicing in his presence
and welcoming the light of his truth.
We ask this in the name of Jesus the Lord.
Assembly: Amen.
Part I
JESUS MASTER TRUTH
Listening to the Word
FIRST READING: Jer 33:14-16
RESPONSORIAL PSALM
GOSPEL READING: Lk 21:25-28, 34-36
PERSONAL REFLECTION
(As a tool for personal reflection, please visit the PDDM Website: www.pddm.org // www.pddm.us for BREAKING THE BREAD OF THE WORD [Series 5, n. 1]: A Lectio Divina Approach to the Sunday Liturgy. The Biblico-Liturgical Reflections are an aid for a deeper understanding of the Gospel reading.)
SONG: Any Eucharistic hymn, Advent hymn or song of praise may be sung.
Part II
JESUS MASTER WAY
Confrontation with the Word
POINTS FOR THE EXAMINATION OF THE HEART
A. What feelings and insights are evoked in us by the prophetic promise “I will raise up for David a just shoot” and by the eschatological vision given to us by Jesus about his second coming in power and glory? Do we allow ourselves to be comforted and strengthened by the astounding reality that God is always there for us and that he is in complete control? Are we able to survey our present history in the light of the fulfilled promise of salvation and against the horizon of saving history still in the process of completion?
B. What place does the “last day” have in our lives? Do we commit ourselves to rekindle in ourselves the desire and hope for the great future coming of Christ, the Lord of history and creation? Does the vision of the parousia help us to look critically at our present time and discern what really matters today?
C. What are the meaning and the challenge of the Advent season for us? How do we allow the various seasons and elements of the Church’s liturgical year to shape and mould us into the beautiful and precious persons God meant us to be? Are we thankful to God for his sacramental gift of the liturgical year?
PRAYING WITH THE WORD
(Adapted from D. Rimaud, cf. Days of the Lord, vol. 1, Collegeville: The Liturgical Press, 1991, p. 58)
Leader: Behold, the time is coming when the Lord of justice will fulfill his promise of peace for those he loves!
Assembly: Read the signs of God in the moon and the sun. He is coming, coming on the clouds!
Leader: See the nations shake before the storms of the sea. He is coming; he is coming, victorious!
Assembly: Reform yourselves, for look: Our salvation is at hand! He is coming, coming for our joy!
Leader: Let us stay awake and escape the snare. And we will stand before the Son of Man on the day of judgment!
Assembly: Happy the one who believed that one day would be fulfilled the words of God for all whom he loves!
Part III
JESUS LIFE
Acting upon the Word
PERSONAL PRAYER
CONTEMPLATING WITH MARY THE FACE OF CHRIST: The Joyful Mysteries of the Rosary may be prayed in part or in full.
THE WAY OF SOLIDARITY: PRAYER OF INTERCESSION
Priest: Advent is a time for trusting prayer and heartfelt invocation to God, the Lord of history. Let us ask him to look kindly on us as we humbly present to him all our petitions, as we say/sing:
(R.) MARANATHA! COME, O CHRIST THE LORD!
1. For the Holy Father’s General Intention for the month of December: FOR CHRISTIAN LEADERS OF NATIONS: May Christ, meek and humble of heart, inspire leaders of nations to exercise their authority wisely and responsibly. Let us pray/sing: (R.)
2. For the Holy Father’s Mission Intention for the month of December: FOR MISSIONARIES: May they live their vocation to follow Jesus with joy and enthusiasm. Let us pray/sing: (R.)
3. For the Church in Advent expectation: May they welcome with joy the Lord Jesus who visits them in their daily lives and look forward to his glorious coming at the end time. Let us pray/sing: (R.)
4. For people overwhelmed with experiences of tragedy, suffering, poverty and extreme trials: May they have the grace to experience the advent and the presence of our loving Lord Jesus, the “just shoot” of David, who came, who comes and will come again. Let us pray/sing: (R.)
5. For those who promote the advent of Christ’s kingdom of love, justice and peace on earth: May they be strengthened in their task of witnessing and their labor to bring about the reign of God for all peoples and cultures of the earth. Let us pray/sing: (R.)
6. For our brothers and sisters in faith who have gone to the Lord: May they share fully in the glory of heaven and be united with all redeemed creation in singing the praises of God at the parousia. Let us pray/sing: (R.)
(Other prayers may be added.)
THE LORD’S PRAYER
CONCLUDING PRAYER
Leader: Lord our God,
grant that we may be ready
to receive Christ when he comes in glory
and to share in the banquet of heaven,
where he lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God for ever and ever.
Assembly: Amen.
FINAL SONG: Any Eucharistic hymn, Advent hymn or song of praise may be sung.
Prepared by Sr. Mary Margaret Tapang PDDM
PIAE DISCIPULAE DIVINI MAGISTRI
SISTER DISCIPLES OF THE DIVINE MASTER
60 Sunset Ave., Staten Island, NY 10314
Tel. (718) 494-8597 // (718) 761-2323
Website: WWW.PDDM.US