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Our parish is staffed by the
Missionaries of the Sacred Heart (M.S.C.)
December 7, 2025
Second Sunday of Advent
7 de diciembre de 2025
Segundo Domingo de Adviento
“A voice of one crying out in the desert,
Prepare the way of the Lord,
make straight his paths.”
“Una voz clama en el desierto:
Preparen el camino del Señor,
enderecen sus senderos”.
Reflection on Sunday Readings by Fr. Luis and Fr. Raj
Reflexión sobre las lecturas dominicales del P. Luis y P. Raj
SEGUNDO DOMINGO DE ADVIENTO 2025
Queridos hermanos y hermanas: este segundo domingo de Adviento es una invitación a continuar el proceso de preparación para la segunda venida de Nuestro Señor Jesucristo mediante el arrepentimiento y la conversión, que nos conviertan en instrumentos de paz y reconciliación en el mundo. Para abrir nuestras mentes a este proceso, permítanme compartir con ustedes algunas preguntas: ¿creen que algún día habrá paz universal en este mundo?, ¿creen que los seres humanos estamos preservando o destruyendo la naturaleza?, ¿tienen una Biblia en su casa?, ¿la leen diariamente?, ¿creen que la Biblia contiene instrucciones para vivir bien?, ¿aceptan en su vida a personas que no les gustan?, ¿creen que Jesús rechaza a alguien por su cultura, su estatus social, su orientación sexual, su forma de pensar, su raza o su origen?, ¿creen que sus acciones diarias emuestran que son discípulos de Cristo?, ¿se han reconciliado con quienes los han ofendido?
Comenzamos este segundo domingo de Adviento con la figura del profeta Juan el Bautista, que llamó al pueblo de Israel a la conversión ante la inminente llegada del Reino de Dios. El Evangelio relata que la gente acudía a él, no solo para confesar sus pecados, sino también para ser bautizada por él en el río Jordán y así prepararse para recibir al Mesías. Aunque no fue bien acogido por los religiosos de su época (fariseos y saduceos), aprovechó su presencia para invitarlos a la conversión y a manifestar su arrepentimiento a través de sus obras, sin pretender que, por el simple hecho de ser religiosos, ya habían ganado la vida eterna. Esto es un llamado de atención para todos los católicos que asistimos a misa los domingos, ya que debemos continuar nuestro proceso de conversión y mostrar a los demás, con obras y palabras, que somos discípulos de Cristo.
Juan el Bautista fue un profeta humilde y austero que no buscó reconocimiento para sí mismo, sino que puso su vida y su predicación al servicio del Mesías. Dedicó toda su vida a ser un Puente entre el pueblo de Israel y el Mesías. Llamó al pueblo de Israel al arrepentimiento y a la conversión, y lo invitó al bautismo como preparación para la venida del Mesías, además de hacer buenas obras y transformar sus vidas según las Escrituras.
La primera lectura, tomada del profeta Isaías, nos relata la profecía sobre el Mesías, un descendiente del «tronco de Jesé» que tendrá todos los dones del Espíritu Santo para gobernar con sabiduría y amor a todos los pueblos, y traer la paz universal a las naciones, a las personas y a la naturaleza. Una paz verdadera, duradera y estable que no es fruto de la violencia ni de las armas, sino del mensajero de la paz, el Mesías, hijo de Dios. Una paz que traerá reconciliación entre enemigos y repercutirá positivamente en la naturaleza para las futuras generaciones. En el Salmo 71 pedimos que esa paz que traerá el Mesías florezca a partir de ahora y que la justicia abunde eternamente en este mundo.
La carta a los Romanos nos recuerda que la Palabra de Dios fue escrita para instruirnos y fortalecernos, para que podamos vivir en armonía unos con otros acogiendo a los demás como hermanos y hermanas, sin rechazar a nadie por ningún motivo, siguiendo así el ejemplo de Cristo, que acogió a todos para la gloria del Padre. Sería estupendo aprovechar este tiempo de Adviento para ser más constantes en la lectura de la Palabra de Dios.
Queridos hermanos y hermanas, hagamos de este tiempo de Adviento un tiempo de armonía y paz, de aceptación y reconciliación, de perdón y confesión de nuestros pecados. Sería bueno que este domingo abriéramos nuestros corazones y tendiéramos un puente, especialmente hacia quienes se han alejado de nosotros. Sanemos nuestras relaciones rotas con ellos tendiéndoles la mano, llamándolos por teléfono, enviándoles un mensaje de texto, una tarjeta de Navidad o un regalo, como señal de que queremos acogerlos en nuestros corazones. No pierdan esta oportunidad de acercarse a Jesús, a sus seres queridos y de preparar sus corazones para acoger a nuestro Salvador. Amén.
P. Luis Segura M.S.C.
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SECOND SUNDAY OF ADVENT 2025
Dear brothers and sisters, this second Sunday of Advent is an invitation to continue the process of preparing for the second coming of our Lord Jesus Christ through repentance and conversion, so that we may become instruments of peace and reconciliation in the world. To open our minds to this process, let me share with you some questions: Do you believe that there will ever be universal peace in this world? Do you believe that we human beings are preserving or destroying nature? Do you have a Bible in your home? Do you read it daily? Do you believe that the Bible contains instructions for living well? Do you accept people into your life whom you don't like? Do you believe that Jesus rejects anyone because of their culture, social status, sexual orientation, way of thinking, race, or origin? Do you believe that your daily actions demonstrate that you are disciples of Christ? Have you reconciled with those who have offended you?
We begin this second Sunday of Advent with the figure of the prophet John the Baptist, who called the people of Israel to conversion in the face of the imminent arrival of the Kingdom of God. The Gospel recounts that people came to him not only to confess their sins but also to be baptized by him in the Jordan River and thus prepare themselves to receive the Messiah. Although he was not well received by the religious leaders of his time (Pharisees and Sadducees), he used his presence to invite them to conversion and to demonstrate their repentance through their actions, without claiming that, simply by being religious, they had already earned eternal life. This is a wake-up call for all Catholics who attend Mass on Sundays, as we must continue our process of conversion and show others, through our words and deeds, that we are disciples of Christ.
John the Baptist was a humble and austere prophet who did not seek recognition for himself, but rather placed his life and preaching at the service of the Messiah. He dedicated his entire life to being a bridge between the people of Israel and the Messiah. He called the people of Israel to repentance and conversion, and invited them to baptism as preparation for the coming of the Messiah, in addition to doing good works and transforming their lives according to the Scriptures.
The first reading, taken from the prophet Isaiah, recounts the prophecy about the Messiah, a descendant of the "root of Jesse" who will possess all the gifts of the Holy Spirit to govern all peoples with wisdom and love, and to bring universal peace to nations, individuals, and nature. A true, lasting, and stable peace that is not the fruit of violence or weapons, but of the messenger of peace, the Messiah, the Son of God. A peace that will bring reconciliation between enemies and will have a positive impact on nature for future generations. In Psalm 71, we ask that this peace that the Messiah will bring may flourish from this moment forward and that justice may abound eternally in this world.
The letter to the Romans reminds us that the Word of God was written to instruct and strengthen us, so that we may live in harmony with one another, welcoming others as brothers and sisters, without rejecting anyone for any reason, thus following the example of Christ, who welcomed everyone for the glory of the Father. It would be wonderful to take advantage of this Advent season to be more consistent in reading the Word of God.
Dear brothers and sisters, let us make this Advent season a time of harmony and peace, of acceptance and reconciliation, of forgiveness and confession of our sins. It would be good if this Sunday we opened our hearts and built bridges, especially to those who have drifted away from us. Let us heal our broken relationships with them by extending a hand, calling them, sending them a text message, a Christmas card, or a gift, as a sign that we want to welcome them into our hearts. Do not miss this opportunity to draw closer to Jesus, to your loved ones, and to prepare your hearts to receive our Savior. Amen.
Fr. Luis Segura M.S.C.
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A Call to Repentance…
Today, the Second Sunday of Advent, the Gospel for the Liturgy presents the figure of John the Baptist. The text says that John “wore a garment of camel’s hair”, that “his food was locusts and wild honey” (Mt 3:4), and that he invited everyone to conversion: “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand”! (v. 2). He preached the nearness of the Kingdom. In short, he was an austere and radical man, who at first sight might appear somewhat harsh and could instill a certain fear. But then again, we can ask ourselves why does the Church propose him each year as our primary travelling companion during this Season of Advent? What is hidden behind his severity, behind his apparent harshness? What is John’s secret? What is the message the Church gives us today with John?
In reality, the Baptist, more than being a harsh man, was a man who was allergic to duplicity. Listen well to this: allergic to duplicity. For example, when the Pharisees and Sadducees, who were known for their hypocrisy, approached him, his “allergic reaction” was very strong! In fact, some of them probably went to him out of curiosity or opportunism because John had become quite popular. These Pharisees and Sadducees were content with themselves and, faced with the Baptist’s sharp appeal, they justified themselves by saying: “We have Abraham as our father” (v. 9). Thus, due to duplicity and presumption, they did not welcome the moment of grace, the opportunity to begin a new life. They were closed in the presumption of being right. So, John says to them: “Bear fruit that befits repentance!” (v. 8). This is a cry of love, like the cry of a father who sees his son ruining himself and tells him: “Don’t throw your life away”! In essence, dear brothers and sisters, hypocrisy is the greatest danger because it can ruin even the most sacred realities. Hypocrisy is a serious danger. This is why the Baptist — as Jesus would be later — was harsh with hypocrites. We can read, for example, chapter 23 of Matthew, in which Jesus speaks so strongly to the hypocrites of that time. And why do the Baptist and Jesus do this? To shake them up. Instead, those who felt they were sinners “went out to him [John], and they were baptized by him, confessing their sins” (cf. v. 5). Therefore, prowess is not important to welcome God, but rather humility. This is the path to welcome God. Not prowess: “We are strong, We are great people...”! No. Humility. “I am a sinner”. But not in an abstract way, no — “because of this and this and this”. Each of us has to confess our own sins, our own failings, our own hypocrisy, firstly to ourselves. We have to get off the pedestal and immerse ourselves in the water of repentance.
Advent is a time of grace to take off our masks — each one of us has them — and line up with those who are humble, to be liberated from the presumption of believing we are self-sufficient, to go to confess our sins, the hidden ones, and to welcome God’s pardon, to ask forgiveness from those we offended. This is how to begin a new life. There is only one way, the way of humility — to purify ourselves from the sense of superiority, from formalism and hypocrisy, to see others as our brothers and sisters, sinners like ourselves, and to see Jesus as the Savior who comes for us, not for others, for us, just as we are, with our poverty, misery and failings, above all with our need to be raised up, forgiven and saved.
And let us remember another thing: with Jesus, there is always the possibility of beginning again. He never tires! And we are annoying, but he never grows tired! Let us listen to John the Baptist’s appeal to return to God. And let us not let this Advent go by like days on the calendar because this is a time of grace, a grace for us too, here and now! May Mary, the humble servant of the Lord, help us to meet him, and our brothers and sisters on the way of humility, which is the only one that will help us go ahead. [Synthesized from Pope Francis, Angelus, 4 XII 22]
Rev. Jos Rajesh Peter M.S.C.
Second Sunday of Advent 2025 – Cycle A
My friends, on this Second Sunday of Advent, our readings continue to be about new beginnings and Hope. Pope Francis once said: “The season of Advent returns us to the horizon of hope. A hope that does not disappoint simply because the Lord never disappoints ! God is faithful ! Let us rediscover the beauty of being together along the way."
Last week, the Prophet Isaiah expressed the Hope that one day we will have peace in our world:
“They shall beat their swords into plowshares and their spears into pruning hooks; one nation shall not raise the sword against another, nor shall they train for war again.”
Today, Isaiah expressed that same Hope that one day we will Hope for Peace in our world:
“Then the wolf shall be a guest of the lamb, and the leopard shall lie down with the kid; the cow and the bear shall be neighbors.”
Isaiah gives us a vision of hope – a peaceful way of life. Perhaps here on Earth or maybe he is describing the Kingdom of Heaven, where the faithful who have died now live with Christ Jesus.
In our Gospel Reading, word about John the Baptist spread quickly. Before long, people from Jerusalem, Judea, and the entire region around the Jordan River were going out to see him and listen to his preaching about peace and hope.
He looked very different from the traditional preachers of the day, the Pharisees. He was dressed in camel’s hair clothing and his hair and beard were disheveled. His food was grasshoppers and wild honey – and his preaching was blistering.
John baptized repentant people for the forgiveness of sins, which gave people peace.
He announced the coming of our Savior, the Prince of Peace, which gave people hope in a broken world.
John’ life was what he preached: Goodness, Hope and Peace.
Goodness as a way of life, which would come through Jesus.
Hope for our future, which would come through Jesus.
Peace on Earth, which comes through Jesus, the Prince of Peace.
My friends, in today’s gospel, John the Baptist also urges us to produce the good fruits of Goodness, Hope and Peace.
In the Second Reading today, St. Paul offers us encouragement: “Whatever was written previously was written for our instruction, that by endurance and by the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope.”
Also, in all four gospels we learn the life and voice and teachings of Jesus and that’s where we find our eternal reason to Hope.
And that's our job, our mission, as well – to bring about Hope and Peace by living as Jesus taught – especially his teaching: “Love one another.”
“Let there be Peace on Earth. And let it begin with me…”
“Before you speak of peace, you must first have it in your heart.” –Francis of Assisi
“Antes de hablar de paz, primero debes tenerla en tu corazón”. –Francisco de Asís
