Jesus said stand erect and raise your heads because your redemption is at hand! Revelation promises the return of Jesus! Have faith and hope in Him and His promise!

Jesus said stand erect and raise your heads  because your redemption is at hand! Revelation promises the return of Jesus! Have faith and hope in Him and His promise! Show us, Lord, your love; and grant us your salvation. This is all we can ask for! To you, O Lord, I lift my soul! We must commend our Spirits and souls unto the Lord, we are promised life eternal in Heaven with Jesus, when we follow Him! We need to stand erect and raise our heads, have faith and hope, know that Jesus will come back as stated in the Gospel reading and in Revelation. We just need to learn here how to conduct ourselves, to live for the Lord, do what is right and holy. We need to beware that your hearts do not become drowsy  from carousing and drunkenness  and the anxieties of daily life,  and that day catch you by surprise like a trap.  Jesus is coming, advent means coming, we need to be ready for Him. Be prepared and have hope! Our redemption is at hand, all the paths of the LORD are kindness and constancy toward those who keep his covenant and his decrees. The friendship of the LORD is with those who fear him, and his covenant, for their instruction. There is nothing to be afraid of, Jesus is coming back like it says in Revelation! His promises are real, we are called to follow Him, to reflect, and imitate Him, we need to be ready for Him, and know that His promise of life eternal in Heaven is our most important goal in life! The coming of the Son of man give us hope! 

First Sunday of Advent

Reading I
Jer 33:14-16
The days are coming, says the LORD, 
    when I will fulfill the promise 
    I made to the house of Israel and Judah.
In those days, in that time, 
    I will raise up for David a just shoot ; 
    he shall do what is right and just in the land.
In those days Judah shall be safe 
    and Jerusalem shall dwell secure; 
    this is what they shall call her: 
    “The LORD our justice.”''

Responsorial Psalm
Ps 25:4-5, 8-9, 10, 14
R. (1b)  To you, O Lord, I lift my soul.
Your ways, O LORD, make known to me;
   teach me your paths,
Guide me in your truth and teach me,
   for you are God my savior,
   and for you I wait all the day. 
R. To you, O Lord, I lift my soul.
Good and upright is the LORD;
   thus he shows sinners the way.
He guides the humble to justice,
   and teaches the humble his way. 
R. To you, O Lord, I lift my soul.
All the paths of the LORD are kindness and constancy
   toward those who keep his covenant and his decrees.
The friendship of the LORD is with those who fear him,
   and his covenant, for their instruction. 
R. To you, O Lord, I lift my soul.

Reading II
1 Thes 3:12—4:2
Brothers and sisters:
May the Lord make you increase and abound in love
for one another and for all,
just as we have for you, 
so as to strengthen your hearts, 
to be blameless in holiness before our God and Father 
at the coming of our Lord Jesus with all his holy ones.  Amen.
Finally, brothers and sisters, 
we earnestly ask and exhort you in the Lord Jesus that,
as you received from us 
how you should conduct yourselves to please God
and as you are conducting yourselves
you do so even more.
For you know what instructions we gave you through the Lord Jesus.

Alleluia
Ps 85:8
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Show us, Lord, your love;
and grant us your salvation.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.

Gospel
Luke 21:25-28, 34-36
Jesus said to his disciples:
“There will be signs in the sun, the moon, and the stars, 
and on earth nations will be in dismay, 
perplexed by the roaring of the sea and the waves.
People will die of fright 
in anticipation of what is coming upon the world, 
for the powers of the heavens will be shaken.
And then they will see the Son of Man 
coming in a cloud with power and great glory.
But when these signs begin to happen, 
stand erect and raise your heads 
because your redemption is at hand.
“Beware that your hearts do not become drowsy 
from carousing and drunkenness 
and the anxieties of daily life, 
and that day catch you by surprise like a trap.
For that day will assault everyone
who lives on the face of the earth.
Be vigilant at all times 
and pray that you have the strength 
to escape the tribulations that are imminent 
and to stand before the Son of Man.”