Thursday of the First Week of Advent
Reading I Isaiah 26:1-6
On that day they will sing this song in the land of Judah:
“A strong city have we;
he sets up walls and ramparts to protect us.
Open up the gates
to let in a nation that is just,
one that keeps faith.
A nation of firm purpose you keep in peace;
in peace, for its trust is in you.”
Trust in the LORD forever!
For the LORD is an eternal Rock.
He humbles those in high places,
and the lofty city he brings down;
He tumbles it to the ground,
levels it with the dust.
It is trampled underfoot by the needy,
by the footsteps of the poor.
Responsorial Psalm Psalm 118:1 and 8-9, 19-21, 25-27a
R. (26a) Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.
or:
R. Alleluia.
Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good,
for his mercy endures forever.
It is better to take refuge in the LORD
than to trust in man.
It is better to take refuge in the LORD
than to trust in princes.
R. Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.
or:
R. Alleluia.
Open to me the gates of justice;
I will enter them and give thanks to the LORD.
This gate is the LORD’s;
the just shall enter it.
I will give thanks to you, for you have answered me
and have been my savior.
R. Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.
or:
R. Alleluia.
O LORD, grant salvation!
O LORD, grant prosperity!
Blessed is he who comes in the name of the LORD;
we bless you from the house of the LORD.
The LORD is God, and he has given us light.
R. Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.
or:
R. Alleluia.
Alleluia Isaiah 55:6
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Seek the LORD while he may be found;
call him while he is near.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Gospel Matthew 7:21, 24-27
Jesus said to his disciples:
“Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’
will enter the Kingdom of heaven,
but only the one who does the will of my Father in heaven.
“Everyone who listens to these words of mine and acts on them
will be like a wise man who built his house on rock.
The rain fell, the floods came,
and the winds blew and buffeted the house.
But it did not collapse; it had been set solidly on rock.
And everyone who listens to these words of mine
but does not act on them
will be like a fool who built his house on sand.
The rain fell, the floods came,
and the winds blew and buffeted the house.
And it collapsed and was completely ruined.”
Lectionary for Mass for Use in the Dioceses of the United States, second typical edition, Copyright © 2001, 1998, 1997, 1986, 1970 Confraternity of Christian Doctrine; Psalm refrain © 1968, 1981, 1997, International Committee on English in the Liturgy, Inc. All rights reserved. Neither this work nor any part of it may be reproduced, distributed, performed or displayed in any medium, including electronic or digital, without permission in writing from the copyright owner.
December 5, 2025 // Friday of the First Week of Advent
Read the Word // Open your Bible to today’s First Reading: Isaiah 29:17-24
Reflect on the Word //
I put my phone down, stunned and grieved. Another violent attack, more bloodshed, more devastation, more senseless violence. It seemed like the news lately brought an endless stream of pain.
I groaned in the depths of my being, feeling very much lost in the “valley of death” (see Psalm 23:4). How long would we have to grope around in darkness? How long would the long shadow hang over us, cold and dank?
I moved on with my chores, heavy-limbed and clammy. Not much got done that afternoon.
That day, God didn’t take away my pain. He invited me into His own.
But in the evening, as I clutched my rosary, He also sent His Holy Spirit to remind me of the words of Saint Ignatius of Loyola in his eighth Rule for the Discernment of Spirits, encouraging those experiencing spiritual desolation: “Let him who is in desolation labor to be in patience [. . .] and let him think he will soon be consoled” (source).
In other words, this too shall pass.
The sun will rise again, the Lord reminded me, and you will feel warmth on your arms and your face. You will laugh, and dance, and feel joy. The heaviness will lift. Life is a litany of rising and falling, a sea of waves and seasons.
In the First Reading today, we see a similar promise: “Thus says the Lord GOD: But a very little while, and Lebanon shall be changed into an orchard, and the orchard be regarded as a forest!” (Isaiah 29:17, emphasis mine)
We tend to forget, in times of suffering, that it won’t always be this way. It’s a fallen human tendency to feel that things will always be the same. Moreover, we have an enemy with a vested interest in keeping us forgetful of the “rising again” part of the story. It’s his way of tempting us to despair.
But sister, God wants to remind us that this pain, in the grand scheme of things—and even in your life—is for “a very little while.” He, Who has given you a share in His suffering, will not give you a portion longer than you can bear.
And you will laugh again.
Relate to the Lord // Pick up and pray your Rosary today. As you meditate on the mysteries, remember that every detail of your story is held and revealed in His.
Claire Dwyer writes with the desire that all women see the sacredness of their stories in light of Salvation History. Speaker, Retreat Leader, Author of This Present Paradise, senior copywriter and content editor for Avila Foundation / Spiritualdirection.com, and co-founder of the PraiseWriters community, she knows firsthand the power of words to set a fire on the earth. She lives in Phoenix with her family. Find out more about her here.
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