Thursday of the Second Week of Advent
Year A
Readings:
Isaiah 41:13–20
Psalm 144(145):1, 9–13a
Matthew 11:11–15
Matthew 11:11 – “Yet the least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he is.”
The Creed said during Mass, and the rosary (before St John Paul II’s luminous mysteries addition), skips over the life of Christ—going from birth to death, from incarnation to crucifixion. During Mass, the Creed is balanced by the Gospel, but that gets lost when the Creed is removed from the liturgy and becomes the basis for catechesis. All the “life of Christ” stuff gets left out as we teach the faith.
Jesus always preached the kingdom of heaven. As the King, wherever he is, even as a babe in a manger, he brings the kingdom with him. Not just the teachings, but the very deeds of Christ proclaim the truth about God and bring about his kingdom. As Catholic Christians, let us be dedicated this Advent to the words and deeds of the King and read all four Gospels.
To follow Christ on the way means to be a part of his kingdom—letting his “saving sovereignty”, as St John Paul II called it, rule over every part of our lives. The kingdom is not for the great, the mighty, the rich and the favoured. It is not about being born into the right family, the right class or the right side of town. Anyone, at any time, can enter the kingdom of heaven through faith in the King of kings—even society’s “least”.
Even you. Even right now, if you’d like.
Lord Jesus, stir within my heart love for you. Let Advent prepare my heart to follow you seriously, because I need you completely. I want to follow without hesitation. I want to trust. I love you. May your kingdom come. Amen.
Michael Gormley
Michael “Gomer” Gormley has been leading evangelisation and ministry efforts for the past 10 years, both as a full-time parish staff member and as a speaker and consultant for parishes, dioceses, and Catholic campus ministries. He has undergraduate degrees in both philosophy and theology, and a Master of Arts in Theology and Christian Ministry from Franciscan University of Steubenville, Ohio, USA. He currently serves as the coordinator of evangelisation at St Anthony of Padua Catholic Church in The Woodlands, Texas, USA. Gomer is also the founder and creative director of LayEvangelist.com, and the producer and co-host of the wildly popular Catholic young-adult podcast, Catching Foxes.
With thanks to the of Diocese of Wollongong who have supplied the weekly Advent and Christmas 2018 reflections from their publication, The Way – Advent & Christmas Daily Reflections 2019. You can read the reflections as they are published here.
