First reading Isaiah 2:1-5
The Lord gathers all nations together into the eternal peace of God’s kingdom
The vision of Isaiah son of Amoz, concerning Judah and Jerusalem.
In the days to come
the mountain of the Temple of the Lord
shall tower above the mountains
and be lifted higher than the hills.
All the nations will stream to it,
peoples without number will come to it; and they will say:
‘Come, let us go up to the mountain of the Lord,
to the Temple of the God of Jacob
that he may teach us his ways
so that we may walk in his paths;
since the Law will go out from Zion,
and the oracle of the Lord from Jerusalem.’
He will wield authority over the nations
and adjudicate between many peoples;
these will hammer their swords into ploughshares,
their spears into sickles.
Nation will not lift sword against nation,
there will be no more training for war.
O House of Jacob, come,
let us walk in the light of the Lord.
Responsorial Psalm 121(122):1-2,4-5,6-9
Second reading Romans 13:11-14
Our salvation is near
You know ‘the time’ has come: you must wake up now: our salvation is even nearer than it was when we were converted. The night is almost over, it will be daylight soon – let us give up all the things we prefer to do under cover of the dark; let us arm ourselves and appear in the light. Let us live decently as people do in the daytime: no drunken orgies, no promiscuity or licentiousness, and no wrangling or jealousy. Let your armour be the Lord Jesus Christ.
Gospel Matthew 24:37-44
The Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect
Jesus said to his disciples: ‘As it was in Noah’s day, so will it be when the Son of Man comes. For in those days before the Flood people were eating, drinking, taking wives, taking husbands, right up to the day Noah went into the ark, and they suspected nothing till the Flood came and swept all away. It will be like this when the Son of Man comes. Then of two men in the fields one is taken, one left; of two women at the millstone grinding, one is taken, one left.
‘So stay awake, because you do not know the day when your master is coming. You may be quite sure of this, that if the householder had known at what time of the night the burglar would come, he would have stayed awake and would not have allowed anyone to break through the wall of his house. Therefore, you too must stand ready because the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect.’
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Stay awake
While much of the commercial world is already starting to celebrate Christmas, the gospel today tells us to stay awake because we do not know the day when our master is coming. Thus, as we light the first candle on the Advent wreath, we are met not with the gentle images of a manger or shepherds, but with a call to vigilance.
Jesus invites us to live awake by living with intention, with awareness, with hearts open to His presence here and now. It means not letting the noise, distractions, or demands of the world lull us into forgetting who we are and what truly matters. It is a spiritual attentiveness, a readiness rooted in hope. Let us be Advent people who are preparing and waiting, not just for Christmas day, but for the coming of Christ into our lives each moment, and ultimately, at the end of time. As we enter this season, Jesus invites us to live this Advent not in a daze of busyness or distraction, but watching, waiting, and preparing our hearts for our Master, who is coming.
Reflective question:
Are there any distractions or routines that you feel are dulling your awareness of Jesus’ presence this Advent season?
Acknowledgment: Reflections are based on “Prayer for Living: The Word of God for Daily Prayer Year A” by Sr Maria Jose FMVD
