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Readings of the Day
RB: Ch 31:1-12 Qualifications of the Monastery Cellarer
Mass: Gn 12:1-4a; Resp Ps 33; 2 Tm 1:8b-10; Mt 17:1-

Someone recently told me that he prayed for me. His prayer is that I do whatever the Lord asks of me as I live out my vocation in this particular place. Recalling that heart-warming gesture, today's transfigured Word encourages me, encourages us all, in this way: Rise, and do not be afraid (Mt 17:7).

Let us go rejoicing to the house of the Lord.

STAY AWAKE! 
FOR YOU DO NOT KNOW THE DAY ON WHICH YOUR LORD WILL COME.

Readings of the Day
RB: Ch 50 Those Working at a Distance or Traveling
Mass: Is 2:1-5; Resp Ps 122; Rm 13:11-14; Mt 24:37-44

Welcome to the First Sunday of Advent and the beginning of a new year on the Church calendar. Happy New Year!

As is customary from last year, we begin with looking at the Universal Norms on the Liturgical Year to provide the context from which we reflect on the readings at Mass and our day to day living. This is what we find in paragraph 39:

Advent has a twofold character, for it is a time of preparation for the Solemnities of Christmas, in which the First Coming of the Son of God to humanity is remembered, and likewise a time when, by remembrance of this, minds and hearts are led to look forward to Christ's Second Coming at the end of time. For these two reasons, Advent is a period of devout and expectant delight.

Readings of the Day
RB: Ch 27 The Abbot's Concern for the Excommunicated
Mass: Wis 11:22-12:2; Resp Ps 145; Th 1:11-2:2; Lk 19:1-10

With a first glance at the readings for this Thirty-First Sunday in Ordinary Time, I thought of the Prologue of the Holy Rule of St Benedict. My mind went to the Holy Rule with the words from the Book of Wisdom: "But you [Lord] have mercy on all, because you can do all things; and you overlook people's sins that they may repent" (Wis 11:23). St Benedict writes this: "The Lord waits for us daily to translate into action, as we should, his holy teachings. Therefore our life span has been lengthened by way of truce, that we may amend our misdeeds. As the Apostle says:Do you not know that the patience of God is leading you to repent (Rm 2:4)? And indeed the Lord assures us in his love: I do not wish the death of a sinner, but that he turn back to me and live (Ezk 33:11). (Prol. 35-38).