Sunday 30 November 2025
1st Sunday of Advent
Isaiah 2:1-5. Let us go rejoicing to the house of the Lord – Ps 121(122):1-2, 4-5, 6-9. Romans 13:11-14. Matthew 24:37-44.
Peace be with you
One of the most powerful greetings we hear from Jesus in the Gospels is ‘Peace be with you’. It is a peace which is not a lip service or a nicety but a deep imparting of the Holy Spirit’s presence on God’s people. To wish someone peace is to offer them a sign of reconciliation. It is to metaphorically take off the sandals which you walk in and step onto their sacred ground, learning from their ways. Not all missionisation has occurred in this way historically. Some missionaries used force and violence instead of an offering of friendship and understanding. As modern-day missionaries, it is our duty to consider how we walk alongside others as we bring about the Gospel. Do we first look to the good in our neighbours and strangers, or jump to conclusions about their spiritual life? What do we do to humble ourselves and learn from their context before we ask them to enter into a dialogue about God?
Email this Print This Page
