Be alert!

Isa 2: 1-5, Ps 121, Rom 13: 11-14, Matt 24: 37-44.

Dear brothers and sisters, today we begin our yearly pilgrimage through the events of the history of our salvation starting with the preparation for the birth of Jesus and ending with the reflection on his glorious “second coming” as judge at the end of the world. We are in the Advent season. Advent means coming. We are invited to meditate on Jesus’ first coming in history as a baby in Bethlehem, his daily coming into our lives in mystery through the Sacraments, through the Bible and through the worshipping community and finally his Second Coming (parousia) at the end of the world to reward the just and to punish the wicked. We see the traditional signs of Advent in our Church: violet vestments and hangings, dried flowers or plain green plants and the Advent wreath. These signs remind us that we must prepare for the rebirth of Jesus in our hearts and lives, enabling him to radiate his love, mercy, compassion and forgiveness around us.

In Today´s first reading (Is 2:1-5), Isaiah describes his prophetic vision of all nations making a pilgrimage to Jerusalem, affirming their Faith in the one true God. The Responsorial Psalm (Ps 122), is a joyous hymn originally sung as pilgrims journeyed to the Temple in Jerusalem. The Psalmist exclaims: “I rejoice when I heard them say let´s go to the house of the Lord.” This psalm prepares us for our yearly pilgrimage.

In the second reading (Rom13:11-14), Paul observed that some Christians were still living a double life; Christians in the day and pagans at night. Apostle Paul reminds them of the obligation to abandon those sins that characterized their past lives as pagans before their conversion to Christ. He insists that their present state of life is contradictory to the works of darkness because Christ whom they have accepted is all Light. Hence, they must put on the armour of light. He lists some of these sins to include excessive drinking, sexual promiscuity, jealousy and rivalry etc. Paul exhorts the Roman Christian community to get ready to meet Jesus in his Second Coming by discharging their duties properly and by freeing themselves from their former pagan tendencies toward excessive drinking, sexual promiscuity, jealousy and rivalry.

In today’s Gospel (Mt 24:37-44), Jesus warns us of the urgency of vigilant preparation on our part that we may meet him as our Judge both at the end of our lives on earth and on the day of the Last Judgment when he comes in his glory. Jesus reminds us of how the unrepentant and ill-prepared evil people were destroyed by the flood in the time of Noah and of how a thief would break in and plunder the precious belongings of an ill-prepared house owner. Using the additional examples later, Jesus repeats his warning for us to be vigilant and well-prepared all the time, doing the will of God by loving others.

What does these reading teach us on this first Sunday of Advent?

The message of Paul in the second reading is especially very striking and valid for us today. He reminds us that there is no more time to waste. Those who are still playing around, sleeping and living in sin should wake up. It is very usual these days especially in this part of the world to hear people say: Yes, I am Christian but not practising. This is the kind of response that Paul is warning us against. We should be Christians both by name, words, thoughts and deeds. We cannot be only Christians who come to Church (at our own convenience) but do not Encounter Christ nor listen to the words He speaks to us. We can summarize the first reading and the Psalmist thus: I was happy when they say to me let´s go to the house of the Lord because in God´s temple, He will instruct us on the paths to follow. Do we always come to God´s house rejoicing, and do we leave God´s house with the promise to put into practice the words of life we have heard? We need to reflect on these as we make spiritual preparations for Christ’s rebirth in our lives.

The Gospel especially teaches us to be alert and watchful while spiritually preparing for Christmas. How?  First by beginning each day by praying for the strength and power of the Holy Spirit to prepare ourselves for Jesus’ rebirth in our lives. Second by offering our daily work to God for His glory, third by practicing more self-control in resisting our evil (immoral, sinful) habits and inclinations, fourth by seeking reconciliation daily with God and our fellow humans. Fifth by asking God’s pardon and forgiveness as we forgive those who have hurt us and sixth by trying to see the face of Jesus in everyone we meet today and sharing with them Jesus’ sacrificial love, mercy, forgiveness and selfless service.

May the Lord help us to make a good Advent preparation for the Christmas festivities!