Day 12

BIBLE VERSE

“The time has come,” he said. “The kingdom of God has come near. Repent and believe the good news!” (Mk 1:15)

REFLECTION

Jesus appears first in Mark’s Gospel not in the nativity story but in the desert, already on his mission: he will save his people from their sins, the angel told Joseph. Jesus wasn’t born to remain a baby but to grow and in the opportune God-given time to proclaim the Good News of God in words and deeds. Now, to repent means to acknowledge one’s sins and to turn to God for his mercy and forgiveness, and Advent may well be the opportune time. But could Jesus be inviting us to do this on a whole new level this Christmas?
 

ACTIVITY

Reflect on the words, “repent and believe the good news” for a time long enough until you let God help you understand them better as they are intended: “repent, that is believe!” says a famous Christian writer. “The first conversion consists in believing” and ‘grow’ in the way we see our relationship with God, for ‘not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins’ (1 Jn 4:10).

PRAYER
Dear God, increase my faith this Advent! Help me first and foremost to turn my eyes upon Jesus and to be attentive to His Word because it is Good News, that unlike everything else it will never come to pass