Team Jesus

REJOICE! EXULT! SHOUT FOR JOY! THE LORD IS NEAR! Our translation, "Yehey! It's Christmas time!"   Christmas decors everywhere. Beautiful lights are carefully arranged on walls and on Christmas trees. Mothers are busy buying gifts at the malls while others are busy wrapping gifts for the manitos and manitas. There's just so much preparation happening for the most awaited Christmas Eve.   It's true, these kind of preparations bring joy to us. However, these acts are just external preparations for that Big Day. What can truly bring us lasting happiness is our Internal (inner) preparation as we anticipate the coming of the Lord.   The Gospel reading for today rightfully speaks of this inner preparation.   When many people we're about to believe that John the Baptist was the Messiah -the one who shall reign forever and bring salvation to God's people, he chose to do what is right and what God's mission is for him. He reminded people that there is o

In the Gospel today, the word of God came to John. He called people to repent and baptized them in the Jordan River. The baptism of John is seen as a purification rite to prepare for the coming of Jesus. On this Second Sunday of Advent, his words resound to call us to prepare the way of Jesus, the Messiah and the Lord. When I was younger all I thought during this time of year was giving presents and receiving. But now things have changed, I've thought of giving Christ a present too! It's me preparing spiritually with repentance and prayer so I could be my best self when the King arrives ! As we hustle in buying gifts and in preparing for a grand banquet for Christmas, let us take time in cleansing ourselves for the coming of the Lord. We are all called to have repentance and reconciliation with God. Let us humble down and make ourselves worthy of the salvation the Messiah has brought to us. -Rona De Castro