Second Sunday of Advent
Theme: Moses
Symbol: The Ten Commandments
Prayer of Ven. Bruno Lanteri
Almighty and Eternal God, I (name), although most unworthy, but encouraged by your compassion and infinite mercy, and by the desire of serving you, offer before the Most Holy Virgin Mary and all the Court of Heaven, to your Divine Majesty, this day, and all my thoughts, words and actions in it. I humbly beg of your infinite goodness and mercy, by the Blood of Jesus Christ, that you choose to accept this offering in the odor of sweetness, and that as you have given me the grace to desire and to make this offering, so also you grant me the grace to fulfill it. Amen.
O Virgin immaculately conceived, put into my heart those things of your Son most pleasing to him. Amen.
Scripture: John 1:15-17
John testified to him and cried out, saying, “This was he of whom I said, ‘The one who is coming after me ranks ahead of me because he existed before me.’” From his fullness we have all received, grace in place of grace, because while the law was given through Moses, grace and truth came through Jesus Christ.
Reflection: In the summer of 1961 the Green Bay Packers reported to NFL training camp to begin the new football year. They had lost the previous year’s championship game in the 4th quarter. They were eager now to progress to the next level. Legendary coach Vince Lombardi opened the camp by holding up a football and announcing, “Gentlemen, this is a football.” His point was that the Packers would get to the next level by training hard on the fundamentals and taking no small thing for granted. They never lost a playoff game again under Lombardi. The commandments are our fundamentals. It is the base upon which the grace of Christ builds a champion of holiness. Where are you with the fundamentals?