Sharing Guidelines
*Sharing is not a time for teaching or debate; it is a time to sense the marvelous work of the Holy Spirit who leads the gathering.
*Reflection sharing is not meant to teach others but to share the meaning you personally have discovered. Therefore, do not criticize or debate another person’s sharing. Avoid boasting of your own understanding or knowledge.
*Respect the grace of the Holy Spirit, who reveals the meaning of the Word while dwelling among us, and listen attentively to others’ sharing, holding it in your heart.
*Keep confidential any personal reflections or stories shared in the group; practicing brotherly love means not passing along private matters outside the meeting.
*When speaking, always use the first person singular (“I”). Be careful not to distance or generalize your story by using the third person (“he,” “they”) or the first person plural (“we”).
*Keep it short.
Gospel Matthew 24:37-44
Jesus said to his disciples: “As it was in the days of Noah, so it will be at the coming of the Son of Man. In those days before the flood, they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, up to the day that Noah entered the ark. They did not know until the flood came and carried them all away.
So will it be also at the coming of the Son of Man. Two men will be out in the field; one will be taken, and one will be left. Two women will be grinding at the mill; one will be taken, and one will be left. Therefore, stay awake! For you do not know on which day your Lord will come. Be sure of this: if the master of the house had known the hour of night when the thief was coming, he would have stayed awake and not let his house be broken into. So too, you also must be prepared, for at an hour you do not expect, the Son of Man will come.” ◎ The Word of the Lord. Thanks be to God
Today’s Reflection
As we begin the Advent season, we wait eagerly for the Lord who comes as the light of the world.
The prophet Isaiah shares a vision about the end of times. Even though people in the world deeply want peace, there are still many conflicts. These conflicts keep us far from peace and cause pain, sadness, and unhappiness. But the Lord comes as the messenger of peace and the one who brings reconciliation. He comes to teach us God’s ways and to show us the path of salvation, peace, justice, and love. Isaiah delivers God’s promise and invites everyone by saying, “House of Jacob, come, let us walk in the light of the Lord.”
St. Paul gives a similar message: “it is the hour now for you to awake from sleep. For our salvation is nearer now than when we first believed” This doesn’t mean physical sleep, but spiritual sleep. We must wake up from laziness and stop following only what feels good or selfish. Instead, we should put on the “armor of light”, because the night is almost over and a new day is coming.
In the Gospel, Jesus warns us not to live without caring about God’s will. He says we must stay awake and be prepared, because “So too, you also must be prepared,
for at an hour you do not expect, the Son of Man will come” Jesus reminds us of the people in Noah’s time. They were busy eating, drinking, and enjoying life without thinking about God, until the flood suddenly came and swept them away.
We, too, should not be led by our selfish desires or bad habits. Instead, we should live in the right direction — by loving God and our neighbors. Those who live awake and ready will not be afraid whenever the Son of Man comes.
(안봉환 스테파노 신부)