LECTIONARY BULLETIN INSERTS, YEAR A First and Second Readings Paul Turner CD-ROM, $39.95 ISBN 0-89390-697-2 View Excerpt Quantity:

LECTIONARY BULLETIN INSERTS, YEAR A, B, and C SET First and Second Readings Paul Turner CD-ROM, $79.95 ISBN 0-89390-697-2 (A) ISBN 0-89390-682-4 (B) ISBN 0-89390-691-3 (C) Quantity:

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Vatican II introduced more Scripture readings into the liturgy. The homily is usually on the Gospel reading. These brief reflections help the readers understand the first and second readings and challenge them to apply the message to their daily lives. They are designed as bulletin inserts, but can be used in any parish publication, including the website. Scripture study groups will also find them helpful.

These brief articles are organized by seasons and are presented in three different formats for your convenience. You can browse through all of the inserts in a .pdf file (an e-book), or you can insert a .tif file into your desktop publishing system, or you can open the .rtf file with your word processor and create your own layout with the rich text format

Paul Turner, pastor of St. Munchin Parish in Cameron, MO, holds a doctorate in sacramental theology from Sant' Anselmo University in Rome. He is a regular columnist for Ministry & Liturgy magazine and author of The Catholic Wedding Answer Book, The Catechumenate Answer Book, ML Bulletin Inserts, and Preparing the Wedding Homily.

First Sunday of Advent A 1
Isaiah 2:1-5

Swords into Ploughshares

The first reading of the entire Advent season presents Isaiah’s famous dream of a people at peace: “They shall beat their swords into plowshares and their spears into pruning hooks.” How can we get that peace?

In Isaiah’s vision, that peace comes from the word of the Lord. That word comes from Jerusalem.

The city of Jerusalem sits on a hill, but it’s a stubby little hill. Other hills are larger. But Isaiah prophesies that Jerusalem’s hill will be established as the highest mountain. All will stream toward it to hear God’s word.

For Christians, when we hear this prophecy on the First Sunday of Advent, we imagine Isaiah’s dream on a grander scale. We see heaven as the new Jerusalem, established higher than anywhere else. We see all peoples streaming toward it for instruction. The word that comes from the new Jerusalem is the Word made flesh at Bethlehem. We yearn to hear that word and form our lives by it.

This day, let us hear the word of God. Let us take the weapons we hurl at our neighbors—the angry words, the hurtful deeds—and beat them into plowshares that open fertile soil of communication and into pruning hooks that weave renewed relationships of peace.

Written by Paul Turner. Copyright © 2010, Resource Publications, Inc., 888-273-7782, www.rpinet.com. All rights reserved. Reprinted with permission from Lectionary Bulletin Inserts, Year A: First and Second Readings.

First Sunday of Advent A 2
Romans 13:11-14

Alarm Clock

People act differently at night than they do in the day. In the day we are busy with personal responsibilities, but nights invite relaxation. On some nights, we relax too much. Some people let their guard down at night. In the dark we are more prone to commit crime and enter sin, as if no one can see.

When the hour comes to wake from sleep, we are filled with expectation and remorse. We look forward to the promise of the coming day, but we regret the sins of the past.

Advent is here. The alarm has just gone off. St. Paul says, “It is the hour now for you to awake from sleep.” Paul is not talking about the dawn of another weekday. He speaks of the dawn of an eternal day. Our salvation is near at hand. The risen Christ longs to enter our hearts and dwell there by faith.

We have to quit acting like it is night. We should behave as if it were eternal day. Our responsibilities as Christians continue in every circumstance—when we are at work or at play, when we are active or at rest. The faithful Christian remains vigilant at all hours, so that we will be ready for Christ when he comes.

Christ is coming soon. Our salvation is near at hand. Let us spend this Advent doing the deeds of day, and avoiding the deeds of darkness.

Written by Paul Turner. Copyright © 2010, Resource Publications, Inc., 888-273-7782, www.rpinet.com. All rights reserved. Reprinted with permission from Lectionary Bulletin Inserts, Year A: First and Second Readings.