First Sunday: Hope - Prophesy Candle

First Sunday of Advent

Year C: First Sunday

Hope Springs Eternal

Advent is a significant season in the Christian liturgical calendar. During this time, we prepare for the coming of Jesus Christ, in the light his birth. The Catholic Church helps us to walk through four weeks with highlighted themes hope, peace, joy, and love. Advent is a season of hope, as we await the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. As the prophet Isaiah wrote, "The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light; those who dwelt in a land of deep darkness, on them has light shone." (Isaiah 9:2)

Story

The Potter's Promise

In a small village, there lived a skilled potter named Eli. He was known for his beautiful, intricate designs and his ability to shape clay into stunning works of art.

One day, a young apprentice named Ava approached Eli, eager to learn the art of pottery. Eli saw great potential in Ava and promised to teach her everything he knew.

As Ava worked alongside Eli, she began to notice that he would often set aside imperfect, broken pieces of clay. When she asked him why, Eli replied, "These pieces may seem broken, but I can still shape them into something beautiful. I promise to make something new and wonderful from them."

Ava realized that Eli's promise was not just about the clay, but also about her own life. Just as the potter can shape and mold clay into something new, God can take our brokenness and shape us into something beautiful.

As Ava reflected on Eli's promise, she remembered the prophecy of Jeremiah 23:5-8, where God promises to raise up a righteous Branch from David's line. She realized that this promise was fulfilled in Jesus Christ, who came to save us from our sins and shape us into new creations.

Ava's encounter with Eli reminded her that, just as the potter fulfills his promise to shape broken clay into something beautiful, God fulfills His promise to shape us into righteous persons through Jesus Christ.

Hope:

In the Catholic tradition, hope is one of the three theological virtues, along with faith and charity. Hope is a theological virtue because it is a supernatural gift that God gives to His people. "Hope is the certain expectation of divine light in the darkness, of divine help in abandonment, of divine consolation in sorrow." (Romano Guardini, The Lord). This gift is realized ultimately in Jesus.

As the Catechism of the Catholic Church teaches, "Hope is the theological virtue by which we desire the kingdom of heaven and eternal life as our happiness, placing our trust in Christ's promises and relying not on our own strength, but on the help of the Holy Spirit." (CCC 1817).

Saint Alphonsus Liguori, a Neapolitan nobleman and lawyer, had a dramatic conversion experience in 1723. After a humiliating defeat in court, where he realized he had misinterpreted a crucial document, Alphonsus felt his career was ruined. He became withdrawn and prayed for guidance. During a visit to the Hospital for Incurables, Alphonsus experienced a mystical experience. He was surrounded by light and heard an interior voice telling him to "leave the world and give thyself to Me." This experience marked a turning point in his life, leading him to abandon his law career and eventually become a priest, founding the Redemptorist order.

Hope is the anchor that holds us fast amid life's storms. For Saint Alphonsus, hope was the thread that guided him through his darkest moments. When his career as a lawyer seemed ruined, Alphonsus could have given up. But instead, he held on to hope. He prayed for guidance, seeking God's will for his life. And then, in a moment of mystical encounter, hope burst forth in a new way. Alphonsus heard the interior voice calling him to leave the world behind and follow God. Hope is not just a feeling; it's a choice. It's a decision to trust that God is working all things for our good, even when we can't see the way forward. For Alphonsus, hope meant letting go of his old life and embracing a new calling. It meant trusting that God planned to prosper him, not harm him.

First Reading

Jeremiah 33 is a chapter of hope and restoration in the book of Jeremiah. The chapter begins with Jeremiah in prison, where he has been placed by King Zedekiah (Jeremiah 32:2-5). Despite the bleak circumstances, God speaks to Jeremiah and promises to restore Israel and Judah (Jeremiah 33:6-13). In verses 14-16, God promises to fulfill His good promise to Israel and Judah by raising up a righteous Branch from David's line, who will do what is just and right in the land. This passage is often seen as a messianic prophecy, pointing forward to the coming of Jesus Christ.

Gospel Reflection 

This passage is part of Jesus' Olivet Discourse, where He predicts the end times and His second coming. The imagery is vivid and apocalyptic, describing a world in chaos and upheaval. Yet, amid this turmoil, Jesus offers a message of hope. He tells His followers to stand up and lift their heads because their redemption is near.

This passage reminds us that, no matter what challenges we face in life, our ultimate hope is in Jesus Christ. He is our redemption, our salvation, and our future.

 - "Be careful, or your hearts will be weighed down with carousing, drunkenness, and the anxieties of life, and that day will close on you suddenly like a trap." (v. 34)

- "Be always on the watch, and pray that you may be able to escape all that is about to happen and that you may be able to stand before the Son of Man." (v. 36)