Tuesday of the Third Week of Advent

Advent Prayer

Lord, fill our hearts with your love, and as you revealed to us by an angel the coming of your Son as man, so lead us through his suffering and death to the glory of his resurrection, for he lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.


I am Gabriel, who stand before God. I was sent to speak to you and to announce to you this good news.
Luke 1:19

Reflection:
There is a bit of a tune that keeps repeating itself in my thoughts this morning, it is Hark! Hear the angels sing, listen to what they say. That brought me to this particular verse since today's reading had to do with an angel speaking to two different people.

One comes to bring good to one woman who will bear a consecrated son who will be named Samson. But the lady did not ask the angels name. And the other is Zechariah, whom the angel Gabriel appeared to. To tell Zechariah about a son that he will have.

Angel Gabriel is the bearer of good news for those who are chosen to bear witnesses for God's kingdom in these two readings. Let us also remember this same angel appeared to our heavenly Mother. Amazing that people unrelated to each other can have a special visit as with the first reading and then that of the second.

Do we listen to the guardian angels in our lives, that help us. Just like we should have learned to listen to our conscience's to know the difference from right or wrong. The angels also help us in this way when we listen. Many times we have troubles in our lives and pray for help, and some have been given an angel to do just that. They mysteriously appear as we have read countless stories of people relating their experiences of help showing up in the nick of time.

They are there to provide help for us with God's blessing.