Second Sunday of Advent Year A Cyle II 8 December 2019

J ohn the Baptist preaches in the desert, “Prepare the way of the Lord, make straight his paths.” John fulfils the

prophecy of Isaiah.

Preparation, which translates into repentance, comes as a personal response to the coming of the Kingdom of

God. It is no longer I who rule over my life, but God. I belong to God, to God’s Kingdom, not to myself. I behave

and relate to others according to God’s expectations.

John the Baptist has a large audience. People from the city of Jerusalem and the whole of Judea and the region

around the Jordan come for baptism. John welcomes them all. But when he sees the Pharisees and Sadducees

coming for the same purpose, John challenges them to produce evidence of their conversion. They must be

sincere. His baptism is not for the records, not for show, but should signify their turning around from old and

cunning ways like those of the serpent that made Adam and Eve fall. They must shed off their hypocrisy.

Repentant people readily accept Jesus when he speaks. They will not distract others by their philosophising,

justification or grandstanding. They will examine their conscience where they have fallen short of his love. They

easily learn what God or the Church wants from them.

365 Days with the Lord Cielito Almazan OFM

Preparing the Way of the Lord

T hank you for your donations to the Vinnies Appeal. Any further envelopes may be added to this week’s

collections. The Christmas Tree is decorated with food donation cards and baskets are at the doors of the

Church for your donations. As in previous years a donation box is in front of the Christmas Tree for a special

collection towards a gift card for the children of families assisted by The Entrance Conference of St Vinnies.

These donations will need to be in by next Sunday 15 December. We thank you sincerely for your support.

St Vincent de Paul Christmas Appeal Thanks

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Written Long Ago

A teacher once asked her class of ten-year olds: “What would you do if one day

there was a knock on your front door and when you opened if you found Our

Lord standing on the doorstep?” One little boy knew what he would do. “I’d run

upstairs, Miss,” he said, “and I’d get the big Bible from my Mum’s room and I’d hand

it over to Our Lord and I’d say: ‘Jesus, this is your life!’” The boy was closer to the

mark than his teacher may have realised. Of course, something like three-quarters of

the Bible was written before Jesus was born - it’s the part we call the Old Testament,

the part which usually provides the first of our Sunday readings. Naturally, the Old

Testament can’t speak directly of Jesus’ life and teachings, and yet without it our

understanding of him would be impoverished; without it, his life’s story would have

no context, it would seem to have been parachuted in from nowhere. We’d be meeting

him in two dimensions rather than three, so to say, in black and white rather than in

colour. St Paul says that “everything that was written long ago in the scriptures” - he’s

thinking, of course, of the Old Testament - “was meant to teach us.” It has not lost its

significance. The point is perfectly illustrated in the readings we’ve heard today.

In the first, Isaiah, who lived eight centuries before the birth of Christ, looks towards a

time when God’s people will rejoice in a ruler on whom the Spirit of the Lord will rest,

who will rule with justice, who will bring peace, who will fill the country with

knowledge of the Lord. The responsorial psalm, also from the Old Testament, takes up

the same theme - a coming King who will rule “from sea to sea,” who “will save the

poor and the needy” and “have pity on the weak” and in whose days “justice will

flourish.” When we turn to the gospel, there is John the Baptist crying out: “Repent, the

kingdom of Heaven is close at hand.” and if the kingdom is close, so too is its king, the

king that was promised long ago. In other words, the promises of old are about to be

fulfilled. And so the call goes out: Make ready for the coming of the King! Without the

Old Testament we would never have known how perfectly Jesus fulfils the hopes and

yearnings of men and women who lived long before him. It would be like hearing the

climax of the story of our salvation without hearing the lead-in - the final chapter with-

out the first.

In Advent we are invited to share in the longings and yearnings of Old Testament

times so that we may celebrate worthily the birth of the King at Christmas. The Infant

of the stable is the fulfillment of the whole of the Old Testament, the realisation of

everyone's hopes and dreams, and he is also destined to come again in glory at the end

of time. We are to repent, says John the Baptist: that means that we’re to have a change

of heart. It may well result in our finding a little extra time for prayer and scripture

reading during these days before Christmas, but the main part of the preparation will

be the way we lead our daily lives. After insisting that “everything written long ago in

the scriptures was meant to teach us,” Paul sets before his readers some very practical

consequences of listening to the scriptures; you must live together in harmony, he says,

striving “to treat each other in the same friendly way as Christ treated you” - apparent-

ly squabbles were not unknown among the early Christians! A similar appeal is made

to us today: how can we be ready to receive the Prince of Peace if we are not at peace

with our brothers and sisters?

But there is something more. Paul speaks of the immense hope that the scriptures

bring, for they are centred upon Jesus who is the God of hope in our midst. And so

Paul concludes with a prayer - unfortunately not included in today’s reading - a

beautiful prayer that we might make our own on this Advent Sunday. “May the God

of hope fill [us] with all joy and peace in [our] faith, so that in the power of the Holy

Spirit we may be rich in hope.” (Romans 15:13) Amen.

The Living Word Redemptorist Publications

Beauty, Truth, Goodness

on Holidays This is our last week

until 15 January.

A Merry & Holy Christmas to All!

Nursing Home Mass

Mass and Anointing of the Sick

will be celebrated at Bupa Nursing

Home Bateau Bay on Monday 9

December at 11am.

Christmas Ministry Roster

Availability Please advise the

office of your availability for

Christmas Eve and Christmas Day

Masses.

Christmas

Ministry

Parish Morning Tea

The Simply the Best Family Group is hosting our

Parish Morning Tea next Sunday

15 December after 9:30am Mass.

Come along to the canteen for a cuppa

and a chat.

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Bible Study

Join Fr Kevin for a short Bible Study of the next Sunday’s

Gospel. Tuesdays in the Muldoon Room

after 9am Mass. All welcome!

Safeguarding Message

Divine Retreat Centre December Events

Advent Retreat Saturday 14 - Sunday 15 December with Fr. Roni George VC & Fr. Joby

George VC. Live-in, accommodation and food provided. One Day Worship Pilgrimage

Sunday 29 December with praise and worship, preaching of the Word, Eucharistic

Adoration, Way of the Cross, Divine Mercy Chaplet and Holy Mass. For bookings:

0468 486 782, drcretreatrego@gmail.com 160 Hensons Road Somersby.

www.divineretreatcentre.org.au www.facebook.com/divineretreatcentersomersby

The Kingdom of God is Within You Retreat

Catholic Charismatic Renewal is offering this Retreat 18/19 January 2020 at St Agatha’s

Primary School Hall 7 Trebor St Pennant Hills. $50 includes morning/afternoon teas

and lunch. Enquiries: 9810 2499 ccrnsw.org.au email@ccrnsw.org.au

Walk the Camino!

Two Catholic Mission Pilgrimages 2020. Small group led by an experienced guide.

Ph: Sr Veronica Rosier OP 0451 387 906 or www.catholicmission.org.au/camino2020

Rosa Mystica Hour of Grace

T he Hour of Grace will be held on the Feast of the Immaculate Conception this

Monday 9 December from 12-1pm with Rosary, Exposition and Benediction.

The Blessed Virgin promised that whatever a person asked her for during this Hour of

Grace (even in impossible cases) it would be granted to them, if it were in accordance

with the will of the eternal Father. “With this exercise one will receive numerous

spiritual and bodily graces. Our Lord, my Divine Son Jesus, will be abundantly

merciful so long as good men go on praying for their fellow men.”

Adoration - All Saturdays of Advent

S eeking peace and quiet during the hustle and bustle of Advent? Adoration is a

good way to prepare for Christ’s return. The act of coming to adore the Lord in

the Eucharist echoes preparation of coming to adore the Lord at the nativity and his

second coming. It gives us a chance to prepare and be at peace, which is the whole

focus of Advent itself. Adoration is held on each Saturday of Advent in the Prayer

Room, from 9:30am to Benediction at 5:30pm. All welcome!

Christmas Mass & Confession Times

Second Rite of Reconciliation Friday 20 December 6pm

Reconciliations Saturday 21 December 9:30am-10am and 5pm-5:30pm

Christmas Eve Carols 4:30pm, Children’s Mass 5pm, Christmas Vigil Mass 7pm,

Carols 11:30pm, followed by Midnight Mass

Christmas Day Midnight Mass 12am, Morning Masses 8am and 9:30am. (No Mass

Christmas Night)

2nd Rite of Reconciliation

Friday 20 December 6pm

Many visiting Priests will be assisting with Confessions.

Please Note

W e the people of the Catholic Diocese of Broken Bay The Entrance Parish are

committed to fostering communities of safety and care for all people, especial-

ly for children and others in the community who are vulnerable. Our commitment is

underscored by our faith in Jesus Christ.

Congratulations & Blessings

to

Mary Evans & Lui Bruni on receiving a

Papal Blessing for

20 Years Service as Catechists!

Congratulations Year 6 Students

who are celebrating their End of Primary

School Years with a Graduation Mass here on Thursday

12 December at 6pm!

Serving the Catholic Community of The Entrance and extending the Kingdom of God

PARISH PRIEST & DEAN Fr William Stevens ASSISTANT PRIEST Fr Vincent Varghese VC

SACRAMENTAL COORDINATOR Br John Verhoeven FSP

Office Hours Monday-Friday 9.30-5.00pm Tel 4332 2216 Fax 4333 5344

Postal Address PO Box 189 THE ENTRANCE 2261 Street Address 239-243 The Entrance Rd THE ENTRANCE 2261

Email info@ourladyoftherosary.org.au Website www.ourladyoftherosary.org.au

PROPERTY MANAGER Michael de la Motte Tel 4334 7600 (BH)

OUR LADY OF THE ROSARY PRIMARY SCHOOL Tel 4332 5594

ST PETER’S CATHOLIC COLLEGE Tel 4351 2344 Fax 4351 2965

THE ENTRANCE PARISH DIOCESE OF BROKEN BAY

Mass & Devotions in Ordinary Time Sunday Masses Saturday Vigil 6:00pm Sunday 8:00am & 9:30am

Weekday Masses Monday - Thursday 9:00am Friday 11:45am Saturday 9:00am

Reconciliations Saturdays 9:30-10am & 5-5:30pm

Liturgy of the Hours Saturday 8:40am Rosary Monday-Thursday 8:35am Friday 11:20am Saturday 9:30am

Cenacle Wednesday 9:30am Christian Meditation Group Friday 10:30am-11:30am Muldoon Room. Come & join us!

The Gift Centre is located in the original Piety Stall in the Church foyer. We have lovely gifts and devotional materials for sale. (Please Note: EFTPOS is no longer available due to high bank fees.)

Opening Hours:

Saturdays before and after 6pm Mass Sundays before and after 8am & 9:30am Masses

& office hours by appointment 4332 2216

Keep Us In Your Prayers There is no gift more precious than prayer - Fr Benedict Groeschel

Recently Deceased: Genevieve Shedden, Kevin May, Lorna Hancock, Fr Barry Nobbs, Marie Powell, Patrick Hennessey, Marcello Galazzo, Joan Hawke.

Funerals: The funeral of Kevin May was held during the week. Please pray for Kevin and his family.

Anniversaries: Maureen O’Meara, Richard Lucchese, Josephine & Frank Ragonesi.

Remembrances: Vincent & Dorothy Cribb, Maurice Cramsie, & the Holy Souls in Purgatory.

Families: Cole, Attard, Hughes, McKay. Sick: Linda Read, Antoinette Grech, Margaret Pizzuto, Peter O’Grady, Diane McCudden, Tanya Doorn, David Drinan, Valda Kelso, Maria De Sousa, Steve Crowe, Ann Minogue, Kaye Cincotta, Norah Liney, Agnes Burke, Dominic Pannell, Marie Lewis, Nereda Blake, Val Rayner, Delma Clarke, Chris Morley, Nick Hurst, Anthony Morrell, Raymond & Tim Baker, Kelly Will and those suffering with long-term illnesses.

2nd Sunday of Advent Isaiah 11:1-10 Romans 15:4-9 Matthew 3:1-12 Entrance Antiphon: O people of Sion, behold, the Lord will come to save the nations, and the Lord will make the glory of his voice heard in the joy of your heart.

Responsorial Psalm: Justice shall flourish in his time, and fullness of peace for ever.

Gospel Acclamation: Alleluia, alleluia! Prepare the way of the Lord, make straight his paths: all people shall see the salvation of God. Alleluia!

Communion Antiphon: Jerusalem, arise and stand upon the heights, and behold the joy which comes to you from God.

Our Lady of the Rosary

GIFT CENTRE

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Pearly Gates

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