Saturday of the 1st Week of Advent

• First Reading – Isaiah 30:19-21, 23-26: The Lord promises Zion relief from sorrow, providing necessities and direct guidance. Prosperity will return to the land, with abundant resources and healing from past afflictions.
• Responsorial Psalm – Psalm 147: Praise the Lord for His goodness and grace. He restores Jerusalem, gathers the dispersed, heals the brokenhearted, and shows His limitless wisdom and power.
• Gospel – Matthew 9:35–10:1, 5a, 6-8: Jesus, moved by compassion for the needy crowds, taught and healed throughout towns and villages. He urged prayer for more workers for the plentiful harvest. Empowering the Twelve disciples, He sent them to Israel’s lost sheep, instructing them to heal, raise the dead, cleanse, and exorcise, emphasizing giving freely as they had received.

Jesus sent out these Twelve after instructing them thus, “Go to the lost sheep of the house of Israel. As you go, make this proclamation: ‘The Kingdom of heaven is at hand.’”

Matthew 10:6-7

Saturday of the 1st Week of Advent brings messages of healing, guidance, and God’s mercy. Isaiah speaks of God’s compassion and the promise of blessings, while the Gospel shows Jesus healing the sick and sending out His disciples. These readings encourage us to trust God’s care and to respond with compassion toward others.

• God’s Compassion for His People: Isaiah speaks of God’s mercy and willingness to help His people. This shows us that God listens to our cries and responds with kindness and care.
• Healing the Sick: In the Gospel, Jesus goes from village to village healing people and freeing them from suffering. This reminds us that God desires wholeness and peace for all, both physically and spiritually.
• Listening to God’s Voice: Isaiah describes a voice guiding us on the right path. This teaches us to be attentive to God’s direction in our daily lives, especially as we prepare for Christ’s coming.
• Bringing in the Harvest: Jesus tells His disciples that the harvest is ready but the workers are few. This means that many people are ready to receive God’s message, and we are called to share it actively.
• Sharing God’s Blessings: Isaiah promises abundance and blessing from God. This encourages us to be grateful for the blessings we have and to share them with others.
• Going Out to Serve: Jesus sends His disciples to serve others by healing and preaching. This calls us to serve in our own communities, spreading kindness and hope wherever we go.

These themes for Saturday of the 1st Week of Advent inspire us to follow God’s guidance, offer healing and kindness, and share His blessings with others. As we move through Advent, let us be open to God’s compassion and be willing to serve those in need.

The readings for Saturday of the 1st Week of Advent invite us to reflect on God’s abundant blessings, our call to serve others, and trusting in God’s guidance. Isaiah promises abundance for those who follow God, while Jesus sends His disciples to bring healing and hope. These themes remind us of the importance of gratitude, action, and listening to God as we prepare for Christ’s coming.

Gratitude for God’s Blessings

In the reading from Isaiah for Saturday of the 1st Week of Advent, God promises abundance and blessing to His people. He speaks of crops growing well and water flowing freely, showing His care for our needs. This is a reminder that God provides for us and wants us to have what we need to flourish.

Isaiah’s words encourage us to be grateful for what we have. Sometimes we focus on what is missing instead of what we already have. But the Advent season invites us to count our blessings and thank God for them. Gratitude opens our hearts to God and helps us appreciate His care.

This sense of gratitude should lead us to share our blessings with others. Just as God is generous, we are called to be generous as well. Whether it is food, kindness, or even our time, we can give what we have to those in need. Sharing is a way of showing gratitude, not just to God, but to others too.

Called to Serve Others

In the Gospel for Saturday of the 1st Week of Advent, Jesus sends His disciples out to heal the sick and share the Good News. He wants them to serve the people they meet with compassion. This shows us that following Jesus means caring for others, especially those who are suffering.

We are also called to be disciples who serve others. Jesus’ example teaches us to act with kindness and bring hope to those around us. This could mean helping a friend, visiting someone who is lonely, or even praying for someone in need. Serving others is an important part of living out our faith.

During Advent, we prepare not just by praying, but by doing good for others. Jesus’ words remind us that faith is active. It’s about reaching out and making a difference. As we follow Jesus’ call to serve, we become part of God’s mission of healing and hope in the world.

Trusting God’s Guidance

Both Isaiah and the Gospel for Saturday of the 1st Week of Advent speak about listening to God’s voice. Isaiah describes a voice that guides us on the right path, while Jesus guides His disciples as they go out to serve. This shows that God wants to direct us and help us make good choices.

Trusting God’s guidance is not always easy. Sometimes we have our own ideas or plans, and it can be hard to listen to what God wants. But Advent invites us to be still and pay attention to God’s voice in our hearts. When we listen, we can follow His path with more confidence.

God’s guidance brings us peace. Just as He guided the disciples and promised to show the way in Isaiah, He promises to guide us too. During Advent, let us make time for quiet prayer, listen to God’s voice, and trust that He will lead us to what is good.

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As we reflect on the messages for Saturday of the 1st Week of Advent, we are called to be grateful, to serve, and to trust God’s guidance. Advent is a time to open our hearts to God’s blessings and share His love with others. May we respond with kindness, faith, and a willingness to follow where God leads.

Prayer

Lord, help us to be grateful for Your blessings and to share them with others. Give us the courage to serve those in need and the wisdom to listen to Your voice. Guide us during this Advent season, and strengthen our trust in You. Amen.

Reflection Questions

• What blessings are you most grateful for this Advent season?
• How can you actively serve someone in need this week?
• In what areas of your life do you need to trust God’s guidance more?
• How can you create moments of quiet to listen for God’s voice?

Word on Fire: Prioritizing Evangelization in Daily Life

Bishop Robert Barron, in his reflection for the Saturday of the 1st Week of Advent, encourages us to prioritize evangelization in all aspects of life. Jesus calls us to pray for laborers in the field of evangelization, emphasizing that every action should be tied to spreading the Good News. This doesn’t necessarily mean becoming a professional evangelizer; rather, it can be achieved through the moral quality of one’s life. Barron urges viewing others not as obstacles or tools for personal goals, but as opportunities for evangelization and service. He suggests that encounters with others, even if challenging, may be divinely appointed chances to share the victory of Jesus.

USCCB Reflection: God’s Bountiful Love

This USCCB video reflection for Saturday of the 1st Week of Advent draws from Isaiah and the Psalms to describe God’s bountiful love for His people. It presents vivid images of God as a responsive listener, provider, gentle teacher, and healer. The reflection connects these attributes to the Gospel of Matthew, where Jesus embodies God’s presence and extends His promises to all. It invites Christians to be co-laborers in spreading the Good News through both words and actions. As Advent prompts reflection on how we’ve served God’s purpose and what more we can do, the message culminates in a call to embrace God’s love, particularly manifested in Jesus becoming human.

What date is Saturday of the 1st Week of Advent?

The next date is Saturday December 7, 2024.

What are the Mass readings for Saturday of the 1st Week of Advent?

The Mass readings for Saturday December 7, 2024 are:
First Reading – Isaiah 30:19-21, 23-26: Promise of Divine Guidance
Responsorial Psalm – Psalm 147: Praise for God’s Mercy
Gospel – Matthew 9:35–10:1, 5a, 6-8: Sending the Twelve

What is Isaiah’s message about God’s compassion in the first reading for Saturday of the 1st Week of Advent?

Isaiah describes God as merciful and caring for His people. This shows that God listens to our needs and wants to help us.

What does it mean to listen to God’s voice?

Isaiah speaks about hearing a voice guiding us on the right path. This means we should be attentive to God’s guidance, especially during Advent, as we prepare for Christ’s coming.

What does Isaiah mean by God’s blessings of abundance?

Isaiah promises that God will provide what is needed and more. This encourages us to trust God’s care and be grateful for the blessings in our lives.

Why does Jesus focus on healing in the Gospel for Saturday of the 1st Week of Advent?

Jesus heals people to show God’s love and care for their well-being. It reminds us that God wants to heal our hearts, minds, and bodies.

Why does Jesus talk about the harvest being ready?

The harvest represents people who are ready to hear and accept God’s message. Jesus invites us to share God’s love and help others know Him better.

How can we apply the idea of serving others from the Gospel?

Jesus sends His disciples to help those in need, teaching us to do the same. We can serve by being kind, caring, and sharing our blessings with others.

How can we act on Jesus’ call to serve others?

Jesus calls His disciples to heal and preach, showing us the importance of helping others. We can follow His example by spreading kindness, offering help, and praying for those in need.

What is the main message of the Gospel reading for Saturday of the 1st Week of Advent?

The main message is to serve with love and to bring hope to those who suffer. It encourages us to be like Jesus, reaching out to others with compassion and care.

How can we be workers for God’s harvest?

We can be workers by sharing God’s love, praying for others, and spreading the Good News. This means being active in our faith and helping those who are seeking God.

Why are these readings important for Advent?

The readings for Saturday of the 1st Week of Advent remind us to prepare our hearts for Jesus’ coming. They teach us to trust God, serve others, and listen to His guidance.