Dominican Friars
Province of St. Albert the Great, USA

Know Before You Go

First Sunday of Advent: Prepare the Way!

Know Before You Go

In the Know Before You Go video, Fr. Gregory Heille OP guides us through the cycle of the liturgical year, highlighting Advent as a joyful season of hopeful anticipation for the fulfillment of God's reign. He unpacks the readings: the responsorial psalm inviting us to "go rejoicing into the house of the Lord," Isaiah's prophecy of nations beating "swords into plowshares," Matthew's powerful call to "be prepared" for the unexpected coming of the Son of Humanity, and Paul's exhortation in Romans to "awake from sleep" and "put on the Lord Jesus Christ." He also offers a glimpse into the themes and readings for the subsequent Sundays of Advent, building towards the glorious celebration of the Incarnation.
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**Chapters:**
0:00 Welcome & Introduction (Gregory Heille, Aquinas Institute)
0:00:11 First Sunday of Advent Readings (November 30th)
0:00:26 Overview of the Catholic Liturgical Year
0:01:07 Advent: A Season of Expectation, Longing, Hope, and Joy
0:01:29 Thematic Progression of Advent: Reign of God, John the Baptist, Mary
0:01:56 First Sunday's Responsorial Psalm (Psalm 127): "Let us go rejoicing"
0:02:28 First Reading (Isaiah 2): Prophecy of the Lord's Mountain and Universal Peace
0:03:29 Gospel Cycle: Year A (Matthew)
0:04:01 Gospel Reading (Matthew 24): Be Prepared, Stay Awake
0:04:39 Advent Theme: Intentional Discipleship and Preparation
0:05:01 Second Reading (Romans 13): "Awake from Sleep," "Put on the Lord Jesus Christ"
0:05:32 Summary of First Sunday Readings: Call to Unity, Peace, and Discipleship
0:06:12 Prayer: Waking Up to Faith and Being Peacemakers
0:06:34 Preview of Second Sunday of Advent (Justice and Repentance)
0:07:15 Preview of Third Sunday of Advent (Lord, Come and Save Us)
0:08:35 Preview of Fourth Sunday of Advent (Joyful Anticipation: Emmanuel)
0:09:20 The Incarnation: God with Us, Emmanuel
0:09:41 Conclusion: Longing for Fulfillment, Praying for Peace, Putting Faith into Action

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#Advent #FirstSundayOfAdvent #KnowBeforeYouGo #GregoryHeille #CatholicFaith #SundayReadings #LiturgicalYear #Hope #Peace #Preparation #Discipleship #Isaiah #MatthewGospel #Romans #AquinasInstitute

Dominican recording video

Know Before You Go is a ministry of the provincial office to help people prepare to hear the readings and preaching of the approaching Sunday's Mass. We welcome any feedback you have at know@opcentral.org . You can see them all below, or you can see other preaching by a particular person by clicking on his name.

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  •

    The Third Sunday of Ordinary Time

    Br. Joe Trout, OP breaks open the readings for the Third Sunday of Ordinary Time, pointing out how Jesus, Paul, and Jonah all preach a message of urgent repentance. These messages were headed in different ways in different situations, but people reformed their lives. Will we?
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    The Feast of the Epiphany of the Lord

    Fr. Jim Marchionda, OP brings out the radical nature of the story of the magi coming from the East and finding the baby Jesus, foreigners in a foreign land, foreshadowing the gentiles being accepted into the faith as equals to the Jews, so that we can all become lights to the nations, welcoming everyone into the grace of God.
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    The Solemnity of the Holy Family

    Fr. Charles Bouchard, OP breaks open the readings for the Solemnity of the Holy Family, pointing out that the Holy Family did not exist simply for itself, but for also showing God's presence incarnate in the world. May our families give witness to how, in some way, their imperfections can be made perfect through the grace of God.
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    The Fourth Sunday of Advent

    Fr. Scott Steinkerchner, OP breaks open the readings for the Fourth Sunday of Advent, in which God puts King David in his place and the angel Gabriel announces the Good News to Mary that she will bear a son, Jesus, who is the center of salvation.
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    The Third Sunday of Advent: Gaudete Sunday

    Fr. Brendan Curran, OP breaks open the readings for Gaudete Sunday, reminding us that Isaiah knew his role was to bring good news to the poor, and John the Baptist knew his role was to prepare the way. Each of us should be open to understanding our role in this unfolding drama of God's plan.
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    The Second Sunday of Advent

    Br. Joe Trout, OP breaks open the readings for the Second Sunday of Advent, pointing out that the readings challenge us to try to become whole and holy, and to allow God to heal us.
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    The First Sunday of Advent

    Fr. Brian Walker, OP opens up the readings for the First Sunday of Advent, reminding us not to rush to thoughts of Christmas , but instead, ask ourselves how we need to change to prepare for Christmas, so that we might recognize God's coming in the face of others who are different than us.
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    Solemnity of Jesus Christ, King of the Universe

    Fr. James Marchionda, OP breaks open the word for this great Solemnity, assuring us that God has invited us to participate in his work of bringing about the Reign of God. Our part, if we choose to accept it, it is care for the poor, feed the hungry, and serve those who are in need. Are you on board?
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    The Thirty-Third Sunday in Ordinary Time

    Fr. Scott Steinkerchner, OP breaks open the parable of the talents from the scripture for the Thirty-Third Sunday in Ordinary Time. Jesus left the church to carry on his work, and will come back at the end of time and judge us for what we did with what we were given.
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    The Thirty First Sunday in Ordinary Time

    Fr. Brendan Curran, OP breaks open the readings for the Thirty First Sunday in Ordinary Time, with Jesus' famous statement, "call no one on earth your father, for you have one Father in Heaven." Jesus was warning those who would have a role of leadership in the Church not to exploit their privilege, but to humbly serve others for the sake of the Gospel. Today, we might also take the opportunity to name the ways in which our community has been hurt because of these abuses.
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    The Thirtieth Sunday in Ordinary Time

    Br. Joe Trout, OP breaks open the readings for the Thirtieth Sunday in Ordinary Time, suggesting that we look to the example of the saints to find real answers to the difficult question of how to love our neighbor in a confusing and broken world.
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    The Twenty Ninth Sunday in Ordinary Time

    Fr. Brian Walker, OP breaks open the readings for the Twenty Ninth Sunday in Ordinary Time. Jesus tells us, "Give to Caesar what belongs to Caesar and to God what belongs to God." Each of us has to find our own way to balance that.
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    The Twenty Eighth Sunday in Ordinary Time

    Fr. James Marchionda, OP breaks open the parable of the Wedding Feast in the Gospel of Matthew and its parallel in Isaiah, pointing out that God is preparing a banquet in heaven and all are invited, but those who want to go are challenged to respond properly to the invitation.
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    The Twenty Seventh Sunday of Ordinary Time

    Fr. Scott Steinkerchner, OP breaks open the readings for the Twenty Seventh Sunday of Ordinary Time, in which Jesus reworks Isaiah's parable of the vineyard, making the point that anyone is welcome in the vineyard of the Lord as long as they produce its harvest of justice.
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    The Twenty Fifth Sunday in Ordinary Time

    Fr. Brendan Curran, OP breaks open the readings for the Twenty Fifth Sunday in Ordinary Time, with Jesus' parable about the vineyard owner who hires people all through the day, but ends up paying them all the same—a full day's wage. In the end, God is equally grateful to everyone who Join in the mission of saving the world, no matter how long they have been doing it.
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    The Twenty Second Sunday in Ordinary Time

    Fr. James Marchionda, OP breaks open the readings for the Twenty Second Sunday in Ordinary Time, explaining that to pick up our cross and follow Jesus means more than "suffering, for the sake of the Gospel," but to have the wisdom to know God's particular call for us and to have the courage to act on it.
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    The Twentieth Sunday in Ordinary Time

    Br. Joe Trout, OP breaks open the readings for the Twentieth Sunday in Ordinary Time, in which Jesus tells us he is only here for the Children of Israel and Paul tells us he is here for the Gentiles. WHo are we here to serve?
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    The Feast of the Transfiguration

    Jesus was Transfigured on the mountain in order to strengthen Peter, James, and John for the his death and the task that lied ahead of them. Fr. Charles Bouchard, OP breaks open the readings for the Feast of the Transfiguration to say that this vision should strengthen us all to face our own death and the death of those we love with realistic hope and faith.
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