First Sunday of Advent (A)

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The Unknown Day and Hour   Lectionary: 1 Reading 1 -  Isaiah 2:1-5 Responsorial Psalm -  Psalm 122: 1-9 Reading 2 -  Romans 13:11-14 Alleluia -  Cf. Psalm 85:8 Gospel -  Matthew 24:37-44 '... Therefore, stay awake! For you do not know on which day your Lord will come.' Introduction  As we gather on this First Sunday of Advent , we also mark the beginning of the Church’s new liturgical calendar and a four-week preparation period leading up to Christmas. The word Advent comes from either of two Latin words, which simply mean “to come” (Ad-venire) or “to arrive” (Ad-ventus), and as early as the fourth (4th) century, Christians have had this special time of preparation towards Christmas. Of course, Advent is not merely a countdown to Christmas; Even as we begin the material preparations for the social celebration of Christmas, the liturgical celebrations of these weeks invite us to prepare ourselves for the coming of Jesus. But what does the co...
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Deacon Lector

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Our Junior year was year two (2) of three (3) as a Candidate and was when we were officially installed into the Ministry of Lector by one of the Boston area bishops ... prior to that we were required to get fitted for, and purchase a basic alb (you can see me in this on the right), to which I added a rope cincture.  The book I am receiving is (fittingly) the Lectionary.  To be somewhat honest, I couldn't figure out how this was any different than what I was already doing at my own parish as a Lector, so it seemed more like an advancement ceremony than anything else.

Academically this was perhaps the hardest year.  In the fall we had "Church History" and "Pastoral Theology" then in the spring we had "Pastoral Care", "Social Teaching" (doesn't count toward the MAM) and "Ecclesiology."  

In addition, we were supposed to find a Deacon mentor in a parish setting in order to "shadow" him during a range of pastoral experiences over approximately 100 hours; writing a reflection on each.  These experiences were supposed to be all three (3) and the munera (offices) of the deacon: word, sacrament and charity.

Some of these experiences were expected, as many within the Church will see the deacon at these events: baptism, wake, graveside committal, wedding (all required) as well as funerals, devotionals and sacrament preparation.  Some of them were not so obvious:
  • Experience with sick/homebound/prisoners
  • Experience with immigrant/multicultural diversity
  • Experience with Catechesis/teaching
  • Experience with spiritual formation/support of others
Ultimately I got a late start here, after a struggle to find a mentor that was engaged and helpful in these areas.  The hardest experience for me to get was the wake and funeral ... I ended up reading through the obituaries until I identified what I needed and then contacted the rectory to ask if I could assist.  For many of my classmates, the hardest was the wedding (church weddings are apparently in decline in the Boston area).

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