Gospel Reflections for December 2 2018
Stand tall?
That is a remarkable thing for Jesus to say in a Gospel filled with signs of the end of the world! However, I have seen this right here in our school.
Teachers often ask their students questions during class. Students know they are coming which helps focus their minds! However, when teachers begin their questions they can often tell just by looking which students are ready …and which ones feel uncertain.
The unprepared students nervously crouch down in their seats and look away. I am sure they wish they were someplace else!
The prepared students confidently look up, appear self-assured, and even eager to begin! They seem to be saying, “Give me that question! I am ready! Let me show you what I can do!” Despite the difficulty of the questions and the amount of work they entail, these prepared students “stand tall” in the classroom. …They are ready and prepared. Knowledge brings confidence and peace of mind.
They are standing tall like those mentioned in today’s Gospel. The end of the world, with all of its dramatic signs will not be frightening to those who follow Christ faithfully. They stand firm in the faith they already know and live well. While those that are not prepared may crouch down. Jesus invites you to be prepared and to stand-up confident and self-assured.
Your preparation simply involves growing in your faith in the Lord and following Him. Enroll now in the “school of Jesus” and make it a habit each week to learn more and more about what Jesus said and did.
Looking ahead to after Christmas, you might want to reserve these special weeks of Lent (March 6 – April 11) to enroll in our UNIVERSITY SERIES. Once again, we will have over 75 different Adult Education sessions that apply our faith to real life. Sessions will be in Ventura County and the Whittier, California Areas. In the Whittier area sessions will be at St. Bruno, St. Mary’s, Beatitudes, and this year also at St. Dominic Savio and St. John Bosco High School in Bellflower. You will also be able to enroll online at our University Series website soon.
Last year, over 3500 people attended. Knowledge brings confidence and peace of mind. The University Series provides a wonderful way to grow in our knowledge of the Lord, and always feel that self-confidence, assurance, and peace of mind that Our Lord wants us to have …even if the world should come to an end!
God Bless!
Fr. Dave
Wow! 3500 enrolled in the University Series! The Series is getting big! Just for fun I looked up the attendance at California Lutheran University in 2016. It was 4,172. So the University Series is only a few hundred less than CLU!
Nice comparison. When we add in the Whittier area attendees the University Series approaches 7000 individuals attending multiple classes.
Father Dave,
A moist precious Advent to you overflowing with our loving Jesus and our beautiful Blessed Mother’s Divine, sweet, love!!!! Love our loving God, love our Divine Jesus , love our precious Mary, and love you for sharing their love with us!!! And loveeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee the University series which opens our minds and hearts to our Jesus life, and love for us!!!Dick and I hopefully will be presenting ” Mary A Woman In Love “once again!!! We soo much love having people fall more and more in love with our precious Faith and we keep falling more and more in love and growing in our loving Faith by attending other faithfilled classes!!! Loveeeeeeee it!!!You gave birth to a spectacular Life of University LOVE!!!
Jesus must love you alot for being precious You!!!
Loveeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee, Franca and Dick
Always an inspiring class!
I enjoyed your insights on the Gospel for this first Sunday of Advent 2018. It was a terrific analogy with a precise message to simply grow in our faith and follow Jesus. The prompting to “‘enroll in the school of Jesus’’ was a powerful invitation and a reminder that we need not be afraid but will have the strength to “stand tall” if we continually seek and grow in knowledge and the love of our Lord. Beautiful.
Thank you for your kind words. I wish for you a very Happy Advent!
Merry Christmas Father Heney. And thank you for your weekly insights.🎄
You are very welcome!
Dear Father Dave,
“Growing in faith” are three words with an enormous impact. Faith is particularly important when we must remain in it, seek it, and hold it near because of life’s difficult twists and turns, particularly when the larger picture is close to hidden.
Another important word is when. When will the war end? When will he be well? When will she visit? When will love happen? When will we die? Yes, when will the world end? For some, the world ends with every gasp of pain.
It’s safe to say that life is complicated and to get through it we need to grow in faith.
Thank you once again for your insightful synopsis.
God bless.
Kathleen
Thank you for adding your wise insights.
To be prepared and ready is the wisest thing we could do!
Thank you, Fr. Dave for reminding us to keep in touch with our better selves during
this season of Advent, as we wait in hope to meet the Lord.
“O Come, O Come Emmanuel”
One of my most favorite songs in this season.
When listening to the Gospel reading on line what I got the most was the reading of Jeremiah. It was at least 4000 years before Our Lord came. They waited and waited and are still waiting. We on the other hand know that our Messiah has come. But it took around 4000 years. It seems to me that we want instant prayer answered. It is good to know that God will answer our prayers in His time not necessarily our time.
Well said!