Salvation!

Second Sunday of Advent

Today’s Gospel is placed within a historical context. St Luke goes into detail about those who were the rulers of the time, both those in government and the leaders of the Temple. Jesus started his ministry of teaching and healing in this particular environment. His teaching and the salvation earned through his death and resurrection, excluded no one. “All flesh shall see the salvation of God.”

Today’s reading is very significant for this Advent period. During Advent, the Church reminds us to scrutinise our life and our relationship with God. Everyone is invited to “straight his paths.” John the Baptist calls for repentance … this is how he encouraged the people to “prepare the way for the Lord.” When one repents, one is not only sorry for any wrongdoings. Repentance brings with it the need to change one’s actions.

In the opening prayer of today’s Mass, the priest says, “God of power and mercy, open our hearts in welcome. Remove the things that hinder us from receiving Christ with joy.” What could be hindering you at the moment? How can you recognise what is hindering you? When “the word of God came to John” he was in the desert. The desert is where there are no distractions, it is the time when we are alone with God. We have to take the decision to step into the desert and allow God to speak to us and transform us, through prayer, scripture reading and silence, so giving God the change to speak to us. When we give God permission, God changes us into better beings, he changes us into what he has planned for us from the very beginning. God’s plans for each and every one are “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” (Jeremiah 29, 11)

After accepting God’s word, John goes on to proclaim it. He did not keep it for himself. As parents, your first duty is towards your children. Your example, is the best teaching you can provide. In view of this, during this Advent, reflect on your actions and the message you are passing on to the children.

A reading from the Gospel of Luke (Lk 3, 1-6)

In the fifteenth year of the reign of Tiberius Caesar, when Pontius Pilate was governor of Judea, and Herod was tetrarch of Galilee, and his brother Philip tetrarch of the region of Ituraea and Trachonitis, and Lysanias was tetrarch of Abilene, during the high priesthood of Annas and Caiaphas, the word of God came to John the son of Zechariah in the desert. John went throughout the whole region of the Jordan, proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins, as it is written in the book of the words of the prophet Isaiah:    A voice of one crying out in the desert:
    “Prepare the way of the Lord,
        make straight his paths.
    Every valley shall be filled
        and every mountain and hill shall be made low.
    The winding roads shall be made straight,
        and the rough ways made smooth,
    and all flesh shall see the salvation of God.”

The Gospel of the Lord
Praise to you Lord Jesus Christ

  1. Read the Gospel story so that you are familiar with it.
  2. Reflect on what the Gospel story is saying to you. Which points would you highlight and why?
  3. Today we were called to repentance. Find a time, when you can be on your own in a quiet place. Start by asking God to give peace to your heart and mind. Then think about any ‘mountain which needs to be made low’ and which ‘valley needs to be filled’ so that you can become the person God wishes you to be.
  4. Everyone has ‘rough ways which need to be make smooth.’ As a parent, how can you help your children to change and become better persons? What are the values that you are passing on to them? 
  5. Together with your family find the right time to read this Gospel. The environment helps, so before you start, prepare;
    i. The Bible reading from St Luke (3, 1-6)
    ii. The Advent Wreath, light two purple candle
    iii. Cover the table with a purplecloth
    iv. A computer/laptop with the reading and clips
  6. Go through the steps with your children (2 age groups are being suggested)
  7. Feel free to adapt to your situation
  8. Be creative 😊
  9. Go to the Prayer Corner section to continue praying as a family

Have you ever heard the song, Santa Claus is coming to town? 

In this song, the singer warns the children to be on the lookout, they must be good because Father Christmas is watching them and they will not receive any presents if they do not behave themselves well! In today’s Gospel, likewise, John the Baptist has a warning. The warning is not about Father Christmas however but about someone who is much better. Let us listen to today’s Gospel. Today it is the second Sunday in Advent.

  • Jesus is the GPS who will show us the way to heaven
  • A small Christmas tree
  • Hearts cut out from red cardboard paper, the size should be suitable for the children to draw upon, you can also prepare some smaller ones
  • Pencil
  • Colours
  • Decorations
  • Ribbon
  • Single hole punch

John the Baptist tells the people to prepare for their meeting with Jesus. He is also saying the same thing to us. John mentions mountains and valleys. What do these have to do with Jesus? Have you ever been abroad or did you ever go along with your parents while they were driving, towards a destination that you had never visited before? What did your parents do so as to find their way? They used the GPS (or at least a map) to give them direction.

Jesus is our GPS! We all want to go to heaven someday. We know that to go to heaven we need to be good children and when we grow up we need to continue being good. We need to live like Jesus did. That is why Jesus is our GPS. Jesus became man like us, he showed us the way to love so that we can go to heaven. It will be difficult without any help, similar to going to a new place without the help of a GPS or a map. The mountains and valleys that were mentioned in the Gospel are the difficulties and temptations, which do not allow us to follow Jesus. 

What can you do to show that you are using Jesus as your GPS? (the children can mention being good at home, school and other places, praying and reading from the Bible, helps them to get to know Jesus better)

This week you have a Christmas tree, and during Advent, it is going to help you remember to continue using Jesus as your GPS. Christmas trees are usually beautifully decorated. You will decorate this one too, and it will be beautiful because it will be full of your good actions. You have some hearts. Get one of them and make a hole at the top. On it draw one of the things which you mentioned earlier (what you will do to keep Jesus as your GPS). Colour your drawing and decorate the heart. Hang it on the tree by means of a piece of ribbon. Put the tree in the room where your family meets the most. Everyone can make a heart, even your parents, because they too want Jesus to be their GPS! Remind each other, so that in a few days’ time, you make other hearts and hang these on the tree as well. Continue doing so throughout Advent. However, remember that even after Advent, Jesus will always be the one to show you the right way.

Before saying the prayer, sing, Walking with Jesus, then, go near Jesus and promise him that you want to continue following him.

Sign of the cross.

Dear Jesus, I want you to show me the way. I want to walk along the way that you are showing me. Help me so that this path does not have any mountains or valleys in the way. Thank you Jesus, come and live in my heart.

In today’s Gospel, we will meet a very important person: John the Baptist. John was in the desert when he was encouraged by God to prepare the people for when they would meet Jesus. With courage and a firm word, John started to urge the people to repent and be baptised.

  • To repent means that we are not only sorry for our wrong choices but we also promise to change for the better

No materials required

In today’s Gospel we heard the words, “Every valley shall be filled, and every mountain and hill shall be made low.  The winding roads shall be made straight, and the rough ways made smooth.” If we had to imagine what this would look like, it would be a wide flat land. It is easy to walk along such a road. However, where there are valleys, mountains and winding roads, you can easily get tired and you may easily be tempted to give up. This would be a path with many difficulties and obstacles! That is why John is inviting us to look at our lives and understand what are the realities that could be creating an obstacle for us, hindering us from getting to know Jesus better. What are the difficulties we meet with, which are not allowing us to live as Jesus wants? John is very clear. It is to our advantage if we manage to remove these obstacles!

What are those things or occasions, which are creating potholes in your way towards Jesus? (these may include, anger, lying, laziness, jealousy) 

In the Gospel we heard the word repentance. This means that you are sorry for your wrongdoing and you also promise yourself that you will not repeat it again. This is in fact what we pray, when we say the Act of Contrition. Repentance means that you have the courage to do your utmost and fight to overcome the temptation to fall in the same wrongdoings. 

It is soon Christmas. It is a time, when there is usually a lot of cleaning going on at home. Everyone cleans that little bit extra before putting up the Christmas decorations, it is a time when we have a number of people coming to visit. However, no matter how well we clean, after some days, dust will again settle on the furniture and there are smudges on the floor. What will we do? Will we leave the dirt or will we clean it?

It is the same with our heart. We are sorry for the wrong that we do, we go to confession and after some time, we repeat the same sin, and our hearts are blemished. Although we do not need to go to confession each day, it is good practice to think about our choices each day and ask God to forgive our wrong choices. Praying, reading the Bible and especially Eucharist, help us to overcome our temptations. The good choices we make, smoothen the way, whilst the bad ones, create the valleys and mountains, in our life.

You cannot do this week’s activity at home, instead you are going to church for confession. (note to parents: see that confession is not just a hurried moment before mass, instead check at what time, priests are available for confession at your parish and go at that time instead)

Before going to confession, remember the steps you need to go through: first think about the wrong choices you made, you need to be sorry for these sins. Afterwards promise God that you will do your best not to repeat them again. Then go to the priest for confession. Remember to do the penance soon after your confession. 

The song, Totally transformed, reflects this very thought: we want to allow ourselves to be changed by Jesus. 

Sign of the cross.

Lord God, you want me to prepare my heart and to welcome Jesus in it. Help me to change and be more like your son Jesus. Amen.

1. According to today's Gospel, who was the governor of Judah at the time when John the Baptist was preaching?

Correct! Wrong!

2. In what area was John the Baptist preaching?

Correct! Wrong!

3. Whom did John quote among the prophets when he was preaching?

Correct! Wrong!

4. What was John's main message?

Correct! Wrong!

How to use this space

God speaks to us in many ways, including through the Sunday Scripture readings. Here you will find useful background and activities to better understand the upcoming Sunday's Scripture readings, helping you to connect the Scripture to daily life in a meaningful way.