Friday 24, Fourth Sunday of Advent (Year C)

M 2Sm 7:1-5.8b-12.14a.16; Ps 89:2-3.4-5.27 and 29.
Lk 1:67-79.
Theme:  Do You Prepare the Way for the Lord?

 

A missionary on one of the Pacific Islands was surprised one day to see a woman enter his hut carrying a handful of sand, which was still dripping water.

“Do you know what this is?” she asked.

“It looks like a sand,” replied the missionary.

“Do you know why I brought it here?” she asked.

“No, I can’t imagine why,” the padre answered.

“Well, these are my sins,” the woman explained, “my sins which are as countless as the sands of the sea. How can I ever obtain forgiveness for all of them?”

“You got that sand down by the shore did you now?” said the padre.

“Well, take it back there and pile up a heaping mound of sand. Then sit back and watch the waves come in and wash the pile slowly but surely and completely away.

That is how God’s forgiveness works. His mercy is as big as the ocean. Be truly sorry and the Lord will forgive.”

 (Source: Forgiveness of God, Liguorian from 1000 Stories You Can USe Vol. 2 by Frank Mihalic, SVD — contributed by Dette Joven, BCBP Calamba)

 

 Lesions of the Benedictus

1.    God is faithful to covenant and promises

a.    Despite of Zacharias’ doubt. & promise to David in the first reading

b.    What are your doubt about faith in God at present?

2.    Deliverance of Israel from enemies

a.    Israel were suffering from their persecutors.

b.    What are your enemies which make you suffer and how does you get deliverance from them?

3.    Jesus and John are not equal

a.    Prophet and Forerunner of Lord Jesus

b.    God’s means of bringing peace to God’s people

4.    Repentance

a.    Only way to restore our relationship with Lord

b.    It is not easy and it is accomplished through suffering, death and resurrection.