1st Sunday of Advent Year B
Sunday, December 3, 2023
Mass Readings for the 1st Sunday of Advent Year B
- First Reading – Isaiah 63:16B-17, 19B; 64:2-7: “No ear has ever heard, no eye ever seen, any God but you doing such deeds for those who wait for him.”
- Responsorial Psalm – Psalm 80: “Lord, make us turn to you; let us see your face and we shall be saved.”
- Second Reading – 1 Corinthians 1:3-9: “He will keep you firm to the end, irreproachable on the day of our Lord Jesus Christ.”
- Gospel – Mark 13:33-37: “Watch, therefore; you do not know when the Lord of the house is coming, whether in the evening, or at midnight, or at cockcrow, or in the morning. May he not come suddenly and find you sleeping.”
Themes for the 1st Sunday of Advent Year B
The readings for the First Sunday in Advent for Year B are a call to be alert in waiting for the coming of the Lord. The first reading begs the Lord to return to us and save us. The psalm also asks God to look upon us and have mercy. The second reading calls us to remain steadfast in our discipleship. And in the gospel, Jesus warns us to be watchful. Not everyone will be ready in the final hour.
- Readiness
- Transformation
- Being steadfast
See the Homilies and Reflections section and the More Thoughts section for further expansion on these readings and some reflection questions for the 1st Sunday of Advent Year B.
Resources for the 1st Sunday of Advent Year B
Be Watchful! Be Alert! – A Lesson Plan on Advent
This Be Watchful! Be Alert! lesson plan will help youth understand what it means to be ready for Jesus. How are we preparing?
11/28/2023 10:00 AM
Homemade Model Magic Recipe
I have made homemade play-dough before, but it tends to be kind of crumbly and a little messy for our carpeted youth ministry room. So I decided to try making homemade model magic type dough instead. I like model magic, but it tends to be kind of expensive if you buy it at the store.
Advent Ideas for the 1st Sunday of Advent Year B
Make a Jesse Tree
A Jesse tree is a traditional Advent craft which shows the relationship of Jesus to famous people from the bible. Every day you read the story of somebody related to Jesus from the Bible and hang an ornament on the tree with a symbol which represents the person you just read about. This helps our families understand our salvation history and that God has been working with a purpose through the ages to bring about our salvation.
Set Up an Advent Table
Now is the time to set up and Advent table in your home or youth ministry room. If at home, put it in your family room or another room your family uses every day. Use it as a focal point to remember to observe Advent.
Have an Advent Prayer Service
Today, say a simple Advent prayer service together. It doesn’t need to be lengthy. In fact, with very young children, shorter is sometimes better.
Advent Stations
Advent Stations are a devotion which is similar to the Stations of the Cross. They encourage the participant to take a journey through prayer and scripture. In the case of Advent Stations we are taking a journey which shows us God’s preparation for the coming of Christ through the ages.
Make an Appreciation List
Your kids might have made a list of some things they’d like to receive for Christmas. So for today’s advent activity, encourage them to make a list of all the things they already have which they are thankful for.
Homilies and Reflections for the 1st Sunday of Advent Year B
Waiting and Watching
In this video from Life Teen, Joel Stepanek helps us understand the readings for the First Sunday of Advent Year B. Advent calls us to a period of waiting and watching.
Longing for the Savior
From Bishop Robert Barron. The sixty-third chapter of the prophet Isaiah offers a series of images, each one meant to evoke this sense of loss and pain and helplessness. Until we enter into the power of these images, we won’t know what it’s like to long for the Savior.
Watch for Him
From Scott Hahn. The new Church year begins with a plea for God’s visitation. “Oh that you would rend the heavens and come down,” the prophet Isaiah cries in today’s First Reading.
Watching for Grace
Also from Bishop Barron. We hear, “Oh come, oh come, Emmanuel, and ransom captive Israel, that mourns in lonely exile here, until the Son of God appear.” Until we can move into the spiritual space suggested by those words, we will not catch the meaning of this season.
More Thoughts for the 1st Sunday of Advent Year B
We get impatient with God’s plan. We wander. We choose our own plans instead. God is faithful though. He calls us to return to Him. God’s plan is not about getting what we want. It is about God restoring the whole world to himself.
In our lives we will experience events which we don’t understand. There will be senseless tragedies and undeserved triumphs. We must be vigilant and ready for those, especially for trials and difficulties. There are always uncertainties in life. We must be ready at all times to serve Christ when we encounter the Lord in our daily lives.
Reflection Questions for the 1st Sunday of Advent Year B
- How can I use the good things in my life to serve others?
- When are some times when I had to lean on others and let them be Christ for me?
- What can I do to be more prepared to serve God in the ups and downs of life?
Quotes and Social Media Graphics for the 1st Sunday of Advent Year B
Yet, O Lord, you are our father; we are the clay and you the potter: we are all the work of your hands.
Isaiah 64:7
Leave a Reply