My Thoughts 16/12/2021

Our world seems to be in turmoil and we are surrounded by great uncertainty. We are faced with decisions on how we are to be safe in the face of the new variant of the virus. This is while we are preparing for the season of Christmas.

For many of us we don’t seem to have found a time for silence and quiet reflection. Where has Advent gone? It seems to have been swallowed up in many peoples frantic attempts to capture the “feel-good” factor.

The first reading in today’s Mass is from Isaiah. As always with the writers of this book, it is prophetic in reminding us that no matter what crescendo the levels of world noise reach, in the eye of the storm God’s promise of peace is there – forever and always.

I did forsake you for a brief moment,
but with great love will I take you back.
In excess of anger, for a moment
I hid my face from you.
But with everlasting love I have taken pity on you,
says the Lord, your redeemer.
I am now as I was in the days of Noah
when I swore that Noah’s waters
should never flood the world again.
So now I swear concerning my anger with you
and the threats I made against you;
for the mountains may depart,
the hills be shaken,
but my love for you will never leave you
and my covenant of peace with you will never be shaken, says the Lord who takes pity on you.

Here is the Communion prayer for this coming Sunday

Having received this pledge of eternal redemption,
we pray, almighty God,
that, as the feast day of our salvation draws ever nearer,
so we may press forward all the more eagerly
to the worthy celebration of the mystery of your Son’s Nativity.
Who lives and reigns for ever and ever.