Advent Reflection – Dr Suni Perera-Merry
In this Advent season, the Church invites us to use this time in a very special way. One of these gifts is the solemn blessing.
The Solemn Blessing for Advent (Roman Missal)
May the almighty and merciful God, by whose grace you have placed your faith in the First Coming of His Only Begotten Son and yearn for His coming again, sanctify you by the radiance of Christ’s Advent and enrich you with His blessing. Amen.
As you run the race of this present life, may He make you firm in faith, joyful in hope, and active in charity. So that, rejoicing now with devotion at the Redeemer’s coming in the flesh, you may be endowed with the rich reward of eternal life when He comes again in majesty. Amen.
And may the blessing of almighty God, the Father, and the Son, ✠ and the Holy Spirit, come down on you and remain with you forever. Amen.
A solemn blessing is when God not only gives us His usual abundant blessing, but an overflowing gift of love, faith, and strength—far more than we can imagine. It is solemn because it is real, sacred, and profound. This blessing reminds us that we are expecting Jesus to come again. He is already with us in the Mass, but He will return in fullness. And so we wait—with faith, with hope, with love.
Firm in Faith. Think of a time when you longed for change, when you carried a burden that felt too heavy.
- In that moment, how did you stand firm in faith?
- Who helped you?
- Where did you sense God’s quiet presence sustaining you?
- How does this Church community support you in staying firm in faith?
Joyful in Hope. Even in seasons of anxiety, what small signs of joy broke through?
- Where did God give you joy?
- How did God surprise you with hope—perhaps in a word, a gesture, or a moment of peace?
- How does this community help you keep hope alive when your own strength feels fragile?
Active in Love
And when you acted, served, or gave of yourself, did you lean on your own strength—or did you feel carried by God’s love flowing through you?
- How do you experience love as both gift and call during Advent?
- Where is God inviting you to be love for someone else this week?
Invitation for the Week Ahead So this week:
- Be firm in faith.
- Be joyful in hope.
- Be active in love.
Listen carefully to the solemn blessing at the end of today’s Mass. Hear it not just as words spoken over you, but as a promise planted within you. God blesses you not just abundantly, but beyond abundance. And knowing God, who keeps His promises, this blessing will work miracles in your life in the week ahead. Let’s pray for each other as we celebrate Mass and receive the Solemn Blessing
BIBLE IN A YEAR Podcast
If you’ve struggled to read the Bible, this podcast is for you.
Ascension’s Bible in a Year Podcast, hosted by Fr. Mike Schmitz and featuring Jeff Cavins, guides Catholics through the Bible in 365 daily episodes.
The podcast is completely free and has been listed as one of the most downloaded podcasts during the pandemic. It’s restarted for Jan 2022 and you can easily catch up or just join in anytime.
Each 20-25 minute episode includes:
- two to three scripture readings
- a reflection from Fr. Mike Schmitz
- and guided prayer to help you hear God’s voice in his Word.
Just look up “Bible in a Year Ascension Press” in Google or use the following link https://ascensionpress.com/pages/biy-registration
Universalis
Free on the Web for Readings at Mass for each day and the week ahead as used in the UK: Jerusalem Bible and Grail psalms. Free trial of everything for a month. After that, you can choose whether you want to buy. You can get individual apps for your phone or tablet (for about 10), or a single registration code which covers all your phones, tablets, computers, and e-books.
Go to https://universalis.com/
Sacred Space:
Sacred Space began in 1999 and has offered new content every day since then. “We invite you to make a ‘Sacred Space’ in your day, praying here and now, as you visit our website, with the help of scripture chosen every day and on-screen guidance”.
To celebrate 21 years of Sacred Space, their popular newsletter has returned which you can sign up for. Sacred Space is now available on Apple/iOS and Android/Google Play devices
Go to https://www.sacredspace.ie/
Online Mass Schedule
A number of churches in the diocese are live streamed and can be visited online at any time.
Amongst those Masses currently celebrated on live stream are the following:
https://rcdow.org.uk/news/how-to-participate-in-mass-during-the-coronavirus-outbreak/