The First Sunday of Advent - Building a Kingdom of Love with Msgr. John Esseff

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The First Sunday of Advent – Building a Kingdom of Love with Msgr. John Esseff

On the First Sunday of Advent, Msgr. Esseff shares two deeply moving testimonies that reveal the power of love, faith, and the kingship of Christ. The first story follows a Christian couple who defied medical advice to abort their “defective” child, trusting instead in God’s providence. Their faith was rewarded with the birth of a healthy baby who grew into a successful firefighter.

The second testimony recounts the spiritual transformation of a man named Tom, who initially struggled with anger and control but was ultimately led to conversion through a miraculous encounter with God at work. Tom’s journey deepened as he faced the rebellion of his adopted daughter, whose waywardness became a crucible of love and surrender to God’s kingship. Christ’s kingship is established first in individual hearts through love, truth, and submission to God’s will. He calls us to embrace Jesus as their King by inviting Him to rule over their lives, bringing redemption and purpose to even the most difficult circumstances.

Through these reflections, Msgr. Esseff reminds us that Christ’s dominion is one of gentle, transformative love that triumphs in every soul willing to surrender to His will.

Discerning Hearts Reflection Questions

Trusting in God’s Plan for Life: How can you grow in trusting God’s providence, especially in situations that challenge your beliefs about the sanctity of life?
Recognizing Christ’s Kingship: In what ways can you acknowledge Jesus as King in your daily actions and decisions?
Faith in the Midst of Trials: How does your faith sustain you when faced with difficult choices or seemingly insurmountable obstacles?
Surrendering Control to God: Where in your life are you still trying to maintain control, and how can you surrender those areas to God’s will?
Living as a Witness to Love: How can you model Christ’s love in your relationships, even with those who are difficult to love?
Understanding Conversion Through Love: What role has love played in your own conversion or deepening of faith, and how can you extend that love to others?
Extending God’s Kingdom in Your Heart: How can you allow Christ to reign more fully in your heart and bring His kingdom into your daily life?
Patience with God’s Timing: How can you cultivate patience and trust in God’s timing, especially when His plans seem delayed or unclear?

Reading 2 ROM 13:11-14

Brothers and sisters:
You know the time;
it is the hour now for you to awake from sleep.
For our salvation is nearer now than when we first believed;
the night is advanced, the day is at hand.
Let us then throw off the works of darkness
and put on the armor of light;
let us conduct ourselves properly as in the day,
not in orgies and drunkenness,
not in promiscuity and lust,
not in rivalry and jealousy.
But put on the Lord Jesus Christ,
and make no provision for the desires of the flesh.

Gospel

Jesus said to his disciples:
“As it was in the days of Noah,
so it will be at the coming of the Son of Man.
In those days before the flood,
they were eating and drinking,
marrying and giving in marriage,
up to the day that Noah entered the ark.
They did not know until the flood came and carried them all away.
So will it be also at the coming of the Son of Man.
Two men will be out in the field;
one will be taken, and one will be left.
Two women will be grinding at the mill;
one will be taken, and one will be left.
Therefore, stay awake!
For you do not know on which day your Lord will come.
Be sure of this: if the master of the house
had known the hour of night when the thief was coming,
he would have stayed awake
and not let his house be broken into.
So too, you also must be prepared,
for at an hour you do not expect, the Son of Man will come.”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

Msgr. John A. Esseff is a Roman Catholic priest in the Diocese of Scranton. Msgr. Esseff served as a retreat director and confessor to St. Teresa of Calcutta. He continues to offer direction and retreats for the sisters of the Missionaries of Charity around the world. Msgr. Esseff encountered St. Padre Pio, who would become a spiritual father to him. He has lived in areas around the world, serving in the Pontifical missions, a Catholic organization established by Pope St. John Paul II to bring the Good News to the world, especially to the poor. Msgr. Esseff assisted the founders of the Institute for Priestly Formation and continues to serve as a spiritual director for the Institute. He continues to serve as a retreat leader and director to bishops, priests and sisters and seminarians, and other religious leaders around the world.