![\"cards\"](\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.austincnm.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/12\/cards.jpg?resize=244%2C243\")
<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\nRead Matthew 2:1-12.<\/p>\n
What do the magi know about the child Jesus before they even see him?<\/p>\n
What is their response upon first seeing Him?<\/p>\n
The gift of gold is wealth for a king.\u00a0 The gift of frankincense is an aromatic offering to a deity.\u00a0 The gift of myrrh is an enbalming agent for the end of a mortal life.\u00a0 In what respects are these fitting gifts for Jesus?<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Simeon’s Blessing and Prophecy<\/strong><\/p>\nRead Luke 2:25-35.<\/p>\n
According to the context, how did Simeon know the significance of the presentation of Jesus in the Temple?\u00a0 How long might he have waited for this moment?<\/p>\n
What praise does Simeon offer to God for this event?<\/p>\n
What prophecy does he offer to Mary and Joseph about their Son?\u00a0 In what ways is this prophecy fulfilled within Jesus’ life, and the centuries to come?<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
The First and Second Comings<\/strong><\/p>\nJesus was widely misunderstood by the Jews.\u00a0 They understood their Savior as one who was to restore the earthly power and prestige of Israel to that of the age of the great kings David and Solomon.\u00a0 What God bestowed instead was a suffering servant who died for their sins and those of all humanity.<\/p>\n
Read Luke 23:27-31.<\/p>\n
These women offer a sympathetic, natural response to a terrible display of suffering.\u00a0 Jesus upends this response by emphasizing the ties of His suffering to the gravity of our sins and the consequences of our ever-possible rejection.<\/p>\n
You may have noticed the emphasis in Mass readings over the last few weeks on the end times.\u00a0 We celebrate Advent in part to remember the anticipation of Christ’s coming in the flesh, and also in part to anticipate His coming in power and glory.\u00a0 Indeed, the Church tells us that our lives should be centered on preparing and being always ready for the moment we meet our Maker.<\/p>\n
Read Revelation 21:5-8.<\/p>\n
This is Jesus as we will see Him at the end.\u00a0 Consider how you would confront Him, and offer him your thoughts and feelings in prayer, asking for His grace.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
My second Advent challenge<\/strong>: have a very blessed Advent and a merry Christmas!<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Advent is a time of preparation for receiving Jesus into the world and into our hearts.\u00a0 My first Advent challenge to you is to sit down, ponder and meditate on the scriptural account of Jesus’ arrival in the world as your time allows.\u00a0 There are many wonderful resources for Scripture study, but for anyone seeking… [Read More]<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":95,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_genesis_hide_title":false,"_genesis_hide_breadcrumbs":false,"_genesis_hide_singular_image":false,"_genesis_hide_footer_widgets":false,"_genesis_custom_body_class":"","_genesis_custom_post_class":"","_genesis_layout":"","_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":false,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2},"_wpas_customize_per_network":false,"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[90],"tags":[384,50,37],"class_list":{"0":"post-29119","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","6":"category-faith-blog","7":"tag-advent","8":"tag-faith","9":"tag-gospel","10":"entry","11":"has-post-thumbnail"},"aioseo_notices":[],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":181178,"url":"https:\/\/atxcatholic.com\/index.php\/2015\/12\/in-the-spirit-of-advent\/","url_meta":{"origin":29119,"position":0},"title":"In the Spirit of Advent","author":"Ablaze Ministries","date":"December 2, 2015","format":false,"excerpt":"Every year during Advent, the Johnson clan leads a church-wide food drive.\u00a0 We ask our church community to draw a family from our sister parish in downtown Houston and pray for them, give them boxes of food, and maybe get them a present or two.\u00a0 Then two Uhauls get filled\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Faith"","block_context":{"text":"Faith","link":"https:\/\/atxcatholic.com\/index.php\/category\/acnm\/blog\/faith-blog\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Advent-CCFM","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.austincnm.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/12\/Advent-CCFM-550x366.png?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.austincnm.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/12\/Advent-CCFM-550x366.png?resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.austincnm.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/12\/Advent-CCFM-550x366.png?resize=525%2C300 1.5x"},"classes":[]},{"id":185388,"url":"https:\/\/atxcatholic.com\/index.php\/2015\/12\/185388\/","url_meta":{"origin":29119,"position":1},"title":"The Prayers – 3rd Sunday of Advent","author":"William Rooney","date":"December 12, 2015","format":false,"excerpt":"Since we can learn much from what we pray day in and day out in our Liturgy it would be profitable for us to reflect more profoundly upon the prayers of each day. We should especially do this over the season of Advent which marks the end of one liturgical\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Column"","block_context":{"text":"Column","link":"https:\/\/atxcatholic.com\/index.php\/category\/acnm\/column\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"photo by Lauren Gulde","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.austincnm.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/11\/advent-300x200.jpg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":182723,"url":"https:\/\/atxcatholic.com\/index.php\/2015\/12\/sunday-says-podcast-december-6-2015-mass-readings-and-reflections\/","url_meta":{"origin":29119,"position":2},"title":"Sunday Says Podcast – December 6, 2015 Mass Readings and Reflections","author":"Steve Scott","date":"December 5, 2015","format":false,"excerpt":"Second Sunday in Advent Lectionary: 6 (NAB Translation) Welcome to the Sunday Says podcast for December 6, 2015, the second Sunday of Advent.\u00a0\u00a0 Thank you for joining us as we break open the Word of God to prepare our hearts and minds for this Sunday\u2019s Mass.\u00a0 This week's readings remind\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Sunday Says"","block_context":{"text":"Sunday Says","link":"https:\/\/atxcatholic.com\/index.php\/category\/acnm\/podcast\/sundaysays\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"SundaySaysPodcast-logo","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.austincnm.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/09\/SundaySaysPodcast-logo1-300x231.jpg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":186756,"url":"https:\/\/atxcatholic.com\/index.php\/2015\/12\/sunrise-dark-faith-advent-brightness-christmas\/","url_meta":{"origin":29119,"position":3},"title":"Sunrise: through the dark faith of Advent to the brightness of Christmas","author":"Shawn Rain Chapman","date":"December 15, 2015","format":false,"excerpt":"Traveling through Advent with grief this year has led to me to soul search about what Christmas is, and, in the process, to notice similarities between the journey of Advent into Christmas and the stages of the soul's progression into the heart of God. \u00a0According to Carmelite spirituality, \u00a0the soul\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Faith"","block_context":{"text":"Faith","link":"https:\/\/atxcatholic.com\/index.php\/category\/acnm\/blog\/faith-blog\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"photo by Renee Bork","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.austincnm.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/12\/12016594_10205918857824426_849206572_n-550x413.jpg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.austincnm.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/12\/12016594_10205918857824426_849206572_n-550x413.jpg?resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.austincnm.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/12\/12016594_10205918857824426_849206572_n-550x413.jpg?resize=525%2C300 1.5x"},"classes":[]},{"id":188668,"url":"https:\/\/atxcatholic.com\/index.php\/2015\/12\/sunday-says-podcast-december-20-2015-mass-readings-reflections\/","url_meta":{"origin":29119,"position":4},"title":"Sunday Says Podcast – December 20, 2015 Mass Readings and Reflections","author":"Steve Scott","date":"December 19, 2015","format":false,"excerpt":"Fourth Sunday in Advent Sunday December 20, 2015 Lectionary: 12 (NAB Translation) Welcome to the Sunday Says podcast for December 20, 2015, the fourth Sunday of Advent.\u00a0\u00a0 Thank you for joining us as we break open the Word of God to prepare our hearts and minds for this Sunday\u2019s Mass.\u00a0\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Sunday Says"","block_context":{"text":"Sunday Says","link":"https:\/\/atxcatholic.com\/index.php\/category\/acnm\/podcast\/sundaysays\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":180704,"url":"https:\/\/atxcatholic.com\/index.php\/2015\/12\/review-new-testament-basics-for-catholics\/","url_meta":{"origin":29119,"position":5},"title":"The Story of the King and His Kingdom (Review: “New Testament Basics for Catholics”)","author":"Lindsay Wilcox","date":"December 1, 2015","format":false,"excerpt":"Thanks to a few years of Bible studies, I could easily tell you that the \"plot\" of the Bible is the fulfillment of the covenant between God and his people. 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![\"ACNM-Advent3\"](\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.austincnm.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/12\/ACNM-Advent3.jpg?resize=125%2C250\")
Advent is a time of preparation for receiving Jesus into the world and into our hearts.\u00a0 My first Advent challenge to you is to sit down, ponder and meditate on the scriptural account of Jesus’ arrival in the world as your time allows.\u00a0 There are many wonderful resources for Scripture study, but for anyone seeking a structured approach I’ve attempted to compile a few thoughts and questions of my own that will hopefully be of some service.<\/p>\n