3rd Sunday of Advent A 14 December 2025 Sermon

3^rd Sunday of Advent A 14 December 2025  Keeping faith

Happy is the man who does not lose faith in Me  (Mt 11,6), says Our Lord, on referring to John the Baptist.

He was calling on history up to that point to remind His listeners (and us) the sort of service God had been providing.

He had put the world in place, created humanity, set everything to work as it should.

He made allowance for human rebellion against His creative will, and to help further He took on human nature; then dying for us, then rising to new life, then (still to happen) a glorious return to reward those who ‘have not lost faith in Him’.

Our job is to stay faithful, and one way we can do that is to have a lively and imminent sense of history; to remind ourselves daily of the wonders of God, and thus to keep our faith at an active level.

We do not treat the stories in the Bible  as ‘long ago and far away’ and therefore out of our concern. Just because a story is old does not necessarily make it any less true or any less relevant.

When God speaks, the word stays spoken. My word does not return to Me empty, says the Lord. (Is 55,11).

This is why we have Liturgy, and why we have biblical readings in the midst of our ceremonies – to call us back to truths which might at first appear too good to be true; but as we make them a part of our lives, they become enlightening to us.

When God delivered Israel from Egypt, for example, that might seem a long time ago to us, but it comes alive for us every year at Easter, and even every day, as the Mass is offered.

We retell these stories and we let them take hold on us. They remind us of the generosity of God and of His constancy. He does not grow tired or weak; nor does He forget His promises and overall purpose.

This is what Jesus is reminding the people of His time. Tell John what you have seen and heard, the lame walking, the blind seeing etc (Mt 11,4-5).

And you will see a lot more than that. Those things are just symbols by comparison with the plans still to be fulfilled.

Our beliefs are bold, but they are not pulled from thin air. They are based on historical events, and even more solidly on the impeccable nature of God Himself.

Truth itself speaks truly, or there’s nothing true (St Thomas Aquinas)

Specifically today, the Church invites us, not just to stronger faith, but a sense of the pure joy with which we can grow in that faith.

The redeemed shall return, with everlasting joy on their faces - in such a way as never to go back to the old ways and the wrong ways. (Zeph 3,20).

We are free from the slavery of sin and the degradation that goes with that.

We have been lifted to a higher level, because God has come down to our level, and takes us with Him as He returns to Heaven.

We have never seen a world without trouble, but we can easily see that if everyone suddenly started obeying Almighty God the world would set itself right very quickly.

We may not be able to imagine it but we can desire it.

So we rejoice, on this Sunday (Gaudete Sunday).

Tell John what you have seen and heard, and tell each other, and anyone who will listen!

 

2nd Sunday of Advent A 7 December 2025 Sermon

2^nd Sunday of Advent A     7 December 2025 Expectancy

The Bible is a very long book. One reason for its length is the necessity of preparing the

human race to receive what is promised. The human  race takes convincing that they are that lucky.

When people receive a phone call to say they have won the lottery there is always that sense of disbelief. You must be joking etc.  Gradually it sinks in.

Think of the prodigal son who got more than he expected. He was just going to slink in through the back door trying to escape notice and he was greeted with great fanfare.

He received more than he expected, more than he dared to hope. This is our position in relation to God. We know He wants to bless us in a general sort of way, but we have trouble grasping the scale of what he has prepared for us and is still promising.

We would settle for less, but we get more. Eternal life, no more pain or suffering, paradise like conditions wolf with lamb etc first reading.

Good news can be taken by stages and then is not so much of a shock. You had better sit  down before I tell you etc.

That is why the Bible is so long; God wants us to understand His blessings to us in the context of his overall plan.

Plus, we see over centuries not only the original plan but how much rejection God would receive, just for trying to save the world!

Within the Bible there are many colourful characters who fill out the scene  One of the most important is John the Baptist.

He is the greatest of the prophets (Mt 11,11) and the closest to the good news which is being prepared.

He fascinates the people  such that they want to see and hear him. They think he might be the Messiah, so impressive is he.

He replies that he is not worthy to tie up the real messiah’s shoelaces (Mt 3,11). He eases the people in, to expect more and even better good news.

There are two parts to how he does this:

One is to offer forgiveness of sins to those whom he baptises.

The other is to offer a change of heart to those who really want to learn.

God wants to bless us in these two ways – to take away the guilt of our sin and to let us stand upright before Him.

And then to give us a new heart (cf Ezekiel 36,26) so that we will no longer have any desire to sin.

We have been restored like the prodigal son. Expecting to be thrown out we are welcomed; expecting to re-offend we are suddenly able to see things in a new light, and we sin no more.

Not only are we allowed into the house, but we can live like royalty. And we can all be like this. Everyone is a winner in Heaven.

Even the pharisees had an opening … brood of vipers even you can be a part of this blessing Mt 3,7).

Christ could have come anyway but better if the people had some preparation because they were not used to things going so well.

Hou much do we dare to hope for? Many would settle for too little.

If it is really true, then we are luckier than we would have ever dreamed of being. We have a foretaste of it in this life but there is much more to come.

We did not expect the Incarnation of God as Man, but having received it we can respond.

We cling to what we know, so we are gradually extricated and prepared for our proper state.

We are that younger son, this time getting it right!

1st Sunday of Advent A 30 November 2025 Sermon

 1^st Sunday of Advent 30 November 2025

 Advent tends to get swamped by Christmas. so let’s keep it alive this year.

 Advent enables us to celebrate Christmas more fully because it helps us to know that we need Christmas.

That Christ would come as Man was vitally important, but people did not understand this was God's intention. They had to be prepared by prophecies and miracles. Partly they caught on, but often slipped away again, reverting to worldly ways.

God's intervention in human affairs is often resisted, making it harder to take effect.

To be saved one has to cooperate. Out of  pride or stubbornness and the like, one can refuse or delay the salvation offered by God.

My boat sinks and I am sitting on the last piece of wood, but when the helicopter comes I  send them away. No thank you, I am perfectly fine… and I  must drown sooner or later.

It sounds absurd in normal life terms but in the spiritual domain that dialogue is going on all the time.

God repeats his offer, so there is still  hope for those who have been hiding from Him.

But Advent also recalls to us that there is a time limit. Either in one’s own death or in the second coming of Christ . So there is an urgency about the matter.

If we are clear that we want to be saved it should not be too hard,  but we do need to keep reminding ourselves of certain things; not become complacent or despairing.

Complacent  is when we think it is very easy to be right with God, and salvation is assured.

Despair is when we think it is too hard, and no one can qualify.

Salvation is hard insofar as it requires discipline and self-denial. It is easy insofar as God is merciful and give many graces to assist us.

With each passing Advent we nurture the hope that all we have longed for will find its fulfilment.

What about the millions of people resisting? We use the time that we have to spread the Good News, to say to the world, Prepare ye the way of the Lord.

We can do this as individuals and as the whole Church.

We are telling the world that it does not hurt to be a Christian; that it brings great joy, even when there is sorrow about; that life eventually will be free altogether of suffering.

That, if enough people will accept God's offer of salvation a lot of the worldly troubles will disappear as a new order takes hold.

The Church is meant to transform the world. For much of our history it has been the other way round – the world transformed the Church. This is because we have forgotten how much trouble we are in! 

It is easy to see trouble if you are alone in the ocean. Not so easy if you are living like many around us who have no clear idea what life is for, or where they are going.

These are the bridesmaids of the Gospel, and the servants who were not ready.

These are the people of Noah’s day, buying and selling (Mt 24,38-39).

People will say how long he is taking to return… God keeps his word; if he says he is coming, he is coming

We can be caught up in some of the misunderstandings get muddled in our response but can clarify that response in this, another time of Advent.

It is a good place to start, in a church, and on a Sunday. We just need to persevere.

Come Lord Jesus!