For 30 November 2025, The First Sunday of Advent, based on Isaiah 2:1-5
(image from https://kellylatimoreicons.com/products/christ-swords-into-plowshares)
The word that Isaiah son of Amoz saw concerning Judah and Jerusalem.
In days to come
the mountain of the Lord’s house
shall be established as the highest of the mountains,
and shall be raised above the hills;
all the nations shall stream to it.
Many peoples shall come and say,
“Come, let us go up to the mountain of the Lord,
to the house of the God of Jacob;
that he may teach us his ways
and that we may walk in his paths.”
For out of Zion shall go forth instruction,
and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem.
He shall judge between the nations,
and shall arbitrate for many peoples;
they shall beat their swords into plowshares,
and their spears into pruning hooks;
nation shall not lift up sword against nation,
neither shall they learn war any more.
O house of Jacob,
come, let us walk
in the light of the Lord!
—–
With each new liturgical year, God comes to us in familiar but also unexpected ways as we contemplate again the incarnation of Jesus, the salvific mystery of his death and resurrection, and his outpouring of the Holy Spirit upon our world. What unexpected insights and challenges to discipleship does God have in mind for us this Advent?
During the first six months of Pope Leo’s tenure, many of us have noticed his repeated calls for peace, asking our world to stand together in saying ‘no’ to war and ‘yes’ to peace. This Advent, might the longed-for coming of the Reign of God, which we celebrate in the Advent liturgy, challenge us to the courageous, nonviolent work of peacemaking? Nuclear proliferation, Sudan, Israel/Palestine, Congo, Venezuela, Myanmar, Ukraine/Russia, the streets of our cities, and so many additional conflicts come to mind. Don’t hesitate to create your personal prayer list.
Advent, par excellence, invites the Church into expectant longing for the coming of the Prince of Peace. Each Sunday, a prophetic passage from Isaiah announces his coming, and in this liturgical Year A, the Gospel according to Matthew invites us, week by week, to comprehend and embrace our social responsibility as God’s promised beloved community.
Today, in a prophetic proclamation from chapter 2 of Isaiah, the Church invites us to climb God’s holy mountain, where God promises to be our arbiter as we do the hard work of beating swords of war and violence into pruning hooks of peace and reconciliation. The world needs committed Christian peacemakers. This work requires prayer, communal reflection, commitment, and action.
Isaiah says that not only will God be our arbiter as we do the work of peacemaking, but God also will be our judge. We are accountable for peacemaking. As Matthew’s gospel says today in chapter 24: “Be ready, for the Son of [Humanity] is coming at an hour you do not expect.” Come, Divine Savior, forge us into instruments of reconciliation and your peace. Help us undertake this responsibility of discipleship.
Climbing the mountain of peace will be strenuous work, but the common good of our world requires it. As people are torn from their families and lose their lives, and as homes and dreams are destroyed, God’s little ones suffer a litany of scandalous and unnecessary deprivation. The weapons and systems of war consume precious resources needed to preserve the dignity of life and the integrity of creation. We must, in the name of God, find ways to respond.
On this first Sunday of Advent, God invites us in concrete acts of discipleship to align ourselves with the scriptural promise of peace. God of Advent and Prince of Peace, you are our arbiter and judge; surprise our world and send us as prophets of peace.
Scripture passage from the New Revised Standard Version Bible: Catholic Edition, copyright 1989, 1993, Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved. 
30 Nov 2025
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(image from https://kellylatimoreicons.com/products/christ-swords-into-plowshares)
The word that Isaiah son of Amoz saw concerning Judah and Jerusalem.
In days to come
the mountain of the Lord’s house
shall be established as the highest of the mountains,
and shall be raised above the hills;
all the nations shall stream to it.
Many peoples shall come and say,
“Come, let us go up to the mountain of the Lord,
to the house of the God of Jacob;
that he may teach us his ways
and that we may walk in his paths.”
For out of Zion shall go forth instruction,
and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem.
He shall judge between the nations,
and shall arbitrate for many peoples;
they shall beat their swords into plowshares,
and their spears into pruning hooks;
nation shall not lift up sword against nation,
neither shall they learn war any more.
O house of Jacob,
come, let us walk
in the light of the Lord!
—–
With each new liturgical year, God comes to us in familiar but also unexpected ways as we contemplate again the incarnation of Jesus, the salvific mystery of his death and resurrection, and his outpouring of the Holy Spirit upon our world. What unexpected insights and challenges to discipleship does God have in mind for us this Advent?
During the first six months of Pope Leo’s tenure, many of us have noticed his repeated calls for peace, asking our world to stand together in saying ‘no’ to war and ‘yes’ to peace. This Advent, might the longed-for coming of the Reign of God, which we celebrate in the Advent liturgy, challenge us to the courageous, nonviolent work of peacemaking? Nuclear proliferation, Sudan, Israel/Palestine, Congo, Venezuela, Myanmar, Ukraine/Russia, the streets of our cities, and so many additional conflicts come to mind. Don’t hesitate to create your personal prayer list.
Advent, par excellence, invites the Church into expectant longing for the coming of the Prince of Peace. Each Sunday, a prophetic passage from Isaiah announces his coming, and in this liturgical Year A, the Gospel according to Matthew invites us, week by week, to comprehend and embrace our social responsibility as God’s promised beloved community.
Today, in a prophetic proclamation from chapter 2 of Isaiah, the Church invites us to climb God’s holy mountain, where God promises to be our arbiter as we do the hard work of beating swords of war and violence into pruning hooks of peace and reconciliation. The world needs committed Christian peacemakers. This work requires prayer, communal reflection, commitment, and action.
Isaiah says that not only will God be our arbiter as we do the work of peacemaking, but God also will be our judge. We are accountable for peacemaking. As Matthew’s gospel says today in chapter 24: “Be ready, for the Son of [Humanity] is coming at an hour you do not expect.” Come, Divine Savior, forge us into instruments of reconciliation and your peace. Help us undertake this responsibility of discipleship.
Climbing the mountain of peace will be strenuous work, but the common good of our world requires it. As people are torn from their families and lose their lives, and as homes and dreams are destroyed, God’s little ones suffer a litany of scandalous and unnecessary deprivation. The weapons and systems of war consume precious resources needed to preserve the dignity of life and the integrity of creation. We must, in the name of God, find ways to respond.
On this first Sunday of Advent, God invites us in concrete acts of discipleship to align ourselves with the scriptural promise of peace. God of Advent and Prince of Peace, you are our arbiter and judge; surprise our world and send us as prophets of peace.
Scripture passage from the New Revised Standard Version Bible: Catholic Edition, copyright 1989, 1993, Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.