ADVENT: A SEASON OF GRACE
Once again, we begin the season of Advent and a new liturgical calendar of the Church´s year of grace in the year of our Lord Jesus Christ. Advent is a moment of grace to be awake while waiting. It is a new season of waiting, preparing, and being alert for the coming of the Lord. The world awaited his coming more than 2000 years ago. The world anticipates his coming in glory at the end of time. Equally, the world awaits his coming daily in every event and experience of our lives.
Hence, the first Sunday of Advent begins with the messages: having hope and preparing for God’s coming in the Person of Christ.
ADVENT: WHAT DOES IT MEAN?
Etymologically, the word “Advent” stems from the Latin root, “Adventus”, which means ‘arrival’. In other words, it means by definition “the arrival of a notable person or thing”. Hence, through its root from the word “advenire” whereby “ad” – ‘to’ and “venire” – ‘come’. Liturgically, the season of Advent reminds us of the Second Coming of Our Lord Jesus into the world.
That is why the watchword of the Advent Season is “Maranatha” which means “Come! Lord Jesus”. It also means the period beginning four Sundays before Christmas, observed in commemoration of the birth of Jesus Christ into the world.
Spiritually, what does the Advent season mean for us? Truthfully, our daily lives are a continual advent where Jesus Christ continues to manifest himself or the divine Godhead in every event, experience, and history of human existence.
OUR THEMES
The readings of the new liturgical season of the Church´s calendar, cycle B, with gospel readings focusing on the Gospel of Mark, invite us to wakefulness. A spiritual awareness, alertness, watchfulness in prayer, goodness, and virtuous living of our lives while awaiting his coming. It is a moment of reconciliation, repentance of sins, and preparation to receive God´s grace in our lives.
It is a moment of waiting patiently for the manifestation of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. A gracious moment to live and to act in steadfastness. Equally, the Season of Advent is an invitation to pause and reflect on the Word of God.
THE FIRST READING ISAIAH 63:16-17, 64:1-8
The Prophet Isaiah invites the exiled people of Israel to recognize their sins, to admit to their sins, and to make amend for them. Hence, they will merit God´s infinite mercy and compassion. A God who is not just their maker in the imagery of clay and porter but a loving, provident, and merciful Father.
The psalmist in Psalm 79 makes us aware of the Lord´s goodness and graciousness to show mercy and forgive sins.
SECOND READING: 1 CORINTHIANS 1:3-9
Saint Paul in his first letter to the Corinthian church reminded them of the need to remain in steadfastness while awaiting the Second Coming of Our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. A steadfastness of all classes of spiritual blessings: grace, peace, and mercy to remind guiltless and sinless for the revealing of our Lord Jesus Christ.
THE GOSPEL: MARK 13:33-37
This liturgical year of cycle B, our gospel text will be mostly from the gospel of Mark. Unlike others the liturgical year of cycle A of the gospel of Matthew or C of the gospel of Luke begins Advent with Jesus´ commencement of his public ministry. Cycle B begins with almost the ending to Mark´s gospel. Jesus´ warning of the end-time and the uncertainty of the final hour or moment. The day of the Lord´s manifestation or intervention.
There are warnings of the necessity to be on the watch. Mark 13:28-37. If men live in the shadow of eternity if they live with the constant possibility of the intervention of God. If they live with the prospect of the consummation of the coming of Christ then, there is the necessity ever to be ready.
THE CONCEPT OF THE SECOND COMING
The concept of doctrine of the Second Coming and the Day of the Lord are the two most controversial, complex, and negatively interpreted doctrines throughout the history of Christianity even to our present age and time.
According to Williams Barclays, chapter 13 of Mark´s gospel is crucial to correctly understand these doctrines. Hence, he articulated some crucial points that reveal the truth of these doctrines:
THE DAY OF THE LORD
1. The Day of the Lord is a concept or belief in the Jewish religion. The Jews always see themselves as a specially chosen race to dominate the earth. As well as that someday they will humanly take control of the world.
2. However, with time they realized this is seemingly impossible humanly as in conquering and dominating the world. Though, divinely it is possible. So they believed that someday God would intervene in human history and win the world for them. This day of God´s intervention is the day of the Lord. One day the accepted Messiah will come to save his people from slavery and restore the kingdom to them.
3. This paradigm shift of God´s intervention will only come after a turbulent period of terror and trouble in the world. When its foundations are shaken there will be judgment. But in the end, there will be a new world and a new age with a new glory of unconquerable victory with God in control of all things. This is the Messianic age.
4. However, the negative and pessimistic view of the day of the Lord as widely seen in the Old Testament literature such as Amos 5: 16-20, Isaiah 13:6-16, Joel 2:1-32; Joel 3:1-21 created a bleak pessimism and strong belief in the imminent coming of the Lord´s day.
5. At that time a kind of popular religious literature grew up. With a lot of books about dreams and visions of what would happen when the day of the Lord came and in a terrible time immediately before it.
6. They continued to use the Old Testament imagery until Jesus´ time and beyond to the Judeo-Christianity era. However, in a very erroneous way of focusing on the negative interpretations of the end-time.
7. Jesus who was very knowledgeable in the apocalyptic literature, used their language and imagery to warn his disciples to be aware, keep alert, keep awake, and watch for the coming of the Lord.
THE DIFFERENT STRANDS MARK13:1-37
(i) There are prophecies of the destruction of Jerusalem Mark 13:1-2, Mark 13:14-20.
(ii) There is a warning of persecution to come. Mark 13:9-13.
(iii) There are warnings of the dangers of the last days. Mark 13:3-6 and Mark 13:21-22
(iv) There are warnings of the Second Coming. Mark 13:7-8 and Mark 13:24-27.
(v) There are warnings of the necessity to be on the watch. Mark 13:28-37. If men live in the shadow of eternity if they live with the constant possibility of the intervention of God. If they live with the prospect of the consummation of the coming of Christ then, there is the necessity ever to be ready. In the gospel of today, there are some basic assumptions such as:
THE TRUTHS OF THE DAY OF THE LORD
a. Mark 13:33-37 is not about the Second Coming but the day of the Lord. The Messianic age or moment of grace, peace, and joy.
b. Jesus himself did not know the day, hour, or time of the day of the Lord. Hence, it is not up to us to speculate about it either.
c. We live in the shadow of eternity. As such, we are not to live in fear but rather live fulfilling our daily tasks. So that the Lord will meet us in grace. For those who prepare adequately, the Messianic revelation will not be terror, but eternal joy.
It is in the context that we initiate the Advent season or moment of grace to usher in a new era-: the Messianic age. God becomes Man and dwelling among us forever. Immanuel. Advent is a moment of grace, peace, reconciliation, preparation, forgiveness, restoration, and mercy.
THE SPIRIT OF ADVENT
1. It is a season of patience waiting for the Lord´s coming.
2. It is a time of repentance, renewal, and preparation.
3. In all, the underlying factor of Advent is a moment of hopeful, peaceful, joyful, and lovely waiting on the Lord for salvation and restoration of our lives and situations.
4. While offering us the many opportunities for togetherness, bridge building, deep and genuine healing, and reconciliation in ourselves, our families, our communities, and our world by letting in light into places of darkness, hate, divisions, and selfishness.
5. We need to be alert and watchful while spiritually preparing for Christmas
(I) by beginning each day by praying for the strength and power of the Holy Spirit to prepare ourselves for Jesus’ rebirth in our lives.
(ii) By offering our daily work to God for His glory.
(iii) By practising self-control in resisting our evil habits and inclinations.
(iv) By seeking reconciliation daily with God, our families, and our neighbours.
(v) By asking God’s pardon and forgiveness as we extend our unconditional forgiveness to those who have hurt us.
(vi) 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.
6. We need to have an Advent project to become alert and watchful in the spirit of today’s Gospel.
7. We need to be wakeful and watchful: We are so future-oriented that we frequently forget the present entirely. We spend too much time trying to protect ourselves against future misfortunes. We save for a rainy day, to get married, buy a home, send the children to college, retire in comfort, and protect ourselves against future misfortunes with varieties of insurance. But we must be more spiritually wakeful to prepare for our eternal life. Let us make this Advent season a time of such preparation.
Finally, in hopeful anticipation of the Lord’s coming to us at Christmas that brings the Good Tidings of joy, peace, and love. Let us prepare ourselves adequately for His coming at the end of time and His coming in the daily events, situations, and moments of our lives.
OUR PRAYER FOR THE FIRST WEEK OF ADVENT
Lord Jesus Christ, each year we are bountifully and joyfully given the gracious season of Advent to prepare and live the Christmastide with joy, peace, and grace. Help us to take advantage of this opportunity or moment of grace, waiting, preparation, and charity to share the joyful news of God with us! Immanuel! Amen.
Maranatha! Come, Lord Jesus. We await your coming. Maranatha! Come O Lord! Amen
