HOPE AMID UNCERTAINTIES
The Advent season of hope begins the new liturgical year of the Church. It offers us hope amid uncertainties of life and the time we are living. With the pandemic still lingering, it seems our hope of a better future is depicted.
However, the season of Advent occasions for us a moment of hope that all will be well in Christ Jesus. The Lord and Saviour of time, space and history who comes to be born in our hearts.
The season of Advent is a time of hope, newness, renewal, grace, preparation, anticipation and joy above all. God Almighty, through his Church, invites us to take advantage of this moment to prepare for Christ coming at Christmas.
ADVENT: WHAT DOES IT MEAN?
Etymologically, the word Advent stems from the Latin root, “Adventus”, which means arrival. In other words, by definition, it means the coming of a notable person or thing. Hence, through its root from the word “advenire” whereby “ad” means to and “venire” signifies come.
Liturgically, the season of Advent reminds us of the Second Coming of Our Lord Jesus into the world. It also means the period of four Sundays before Christmas. When we prepare ourselves to observe in commemoration the birth of Jesus Christ into the world as our Lord and Saviour.
SIGNIFICANCE OF ADVENT TO CHRISTIANS
Spiritually, what does 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.
Indeed, besides the first coming of Jesus Christ into our world through birth. Fundamentally, Jesus comes into our lives as we live them through His Church and its Sacraments. Especially the Eucharist, the Word of God, the worshipping community and as we die, we experience his final Second Coming.
OUR THEME
The readings of the new liturgical season of the Church, Cycle C, invite us to wakefulness and preparedness for the Second coming of the Lord. In Cycle C, we read more from the Gospel of Luke on Sundays.
The readings of this Sunday, especially the gospel text, challenge us to a sense of 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 the grace of God 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.
Indeed, the reflection of this first Sunday of Advent offers us a deep assurance of peace. The biblical texts present us with an image of tranquillity and justice. Particularly amidst the anguish, pains, fears and seeming hopelessness of our situations.
Concisely, the season of Advent is a moment of grace, peace, reconciliation, preparation, forgiveness, restoration, and mercy. A waiting moment of prayer for God-Christ manifestation in human history as Lord, Saviour and King.
FIRST READING: JEREMIAH 33:14-16
In the first reading, the prophet Jeremiah assures the weary people of Israel of the intervention of God in their situations. Along with the fulfilment of all the promises of God to save them.
An assurance that will make see God as Lord of justice: The Lord our righteousness and justice. And he will do rightly and justly to restore Juda and Jerusalem to their glory before the exile.
The prophecy of Jeremiah presents us with the great theme of the season of Advent. Namely, hope and patient while waiting on the Lord and his moments, or time.
It is the promise and assurance of the messianic age that came to fulfilment in Christ Jesus. Through the Branch for the Davídic lineage, justice and peace will be ordained for the troubled days of Israel.
This is the hope the season of Advent rekindled in us. The hope that God will always intervene in our hopeless conditions.
PSALM 24
The responsorial of Psalm 24 invites us to look confidently at the Lord. It is like saying to you, O Lord, I lift my soul, for you are my hope, peace, justice and righteousness.
The psalm recognizes that salvation is only with the Lord. Hence, it invokes to know the way, path, truth, love and faithfulness of the Lord.
The psalmist also acknowledges the friendship, goodness, uprightness, humility and salvation of the Lord to all. For the Lord teaches us always in trusted his covenant.
SECOND READING: 1 THESSALONIANS 3:12—4:2
St. Paul invites the Thessalonians and indeed all of us to strengthen our hearts with good deeds of love as we await the coming of Christ.
In other words. he challenges us to be blameless in holiness before our God and Father at the coming of our Lord Jesus by conducting yourselves to please God.
This prayer of Paul for Christians to grow in zeal and holiness is one of our Advent petitions. In all, St. Paul invites us to be prepared for an encounter with the Lord.
- Paul prays to God to open a way for him whereby he may come to Thessalonica. It was to God that he turned for guidance in the ordinary day to day problems of life. One of the great mistakes of life by many Christians is to turn to God only in the overpowering emergencies or shattering crises.
- He prays to God that he will enable the Thessalonians to fulfil the law of love in their daily lives. We often wonder why the Christian life is so hard to live, especially in ordinary everyday relationships. The answer may very well be that we are trying to live it by ourselves.
- Paul prays to God for the ultimate safety. At this time, his mind was full of thoughts of the Second Coming of Christ when men would stand before the judgment seat of God. It was his prayer that God would so preserve his people in righteousness. And that on judgment day, they would not be ashamed.
THE GOSPEL: LUKE 21:25-28, 34-36
The gospel account of Luke 21:25-28, 34-36 paints the gloomy pictures of the last days and their warning signs. Therefore, we are invited to stand erect and raise our heads because our redemption is at hand.
The central message is to be vigilant at all times and pray for the day of the Lord. It is an eschatological coming which we are not sure of the day, hour or moment.
It is also clear that the fundamental of the Advent season is the anticipation of the coming of Christ. Luke invites us to reflect on this theme in the form of encouragement. He wants us to be ready for the final day when Christ will come as judge.
The gospel text of this first Sunday of Advent addresses two prominent themes of the advent season. The second coming of Christ, when he will be Lord, Saviour and King of all, that is in existence and history. It also touches on the theme of praying, watching, waiting and preparing to meet the Lord when he eventually comes.
CHRIST COMING
First, it is fundamental to note that Christ has come once through his birth. That is what we commemorate at Christmas. When Jesus Christ through, the mystery of the incarnation came physically into our world: God-Immanuel.
Second, there is an anticipation of the eschatological coming of Christ again at the end of time. This is the Parousia. That is, the Second Coming of Christ when will be the judge of the living and dead. The reckoning time of rewards and punishments.
Equally, there is this spiritual coming of Christ into our lives, situations and events of our daily lives. This spiritual presence of Christ is in between the first and second or final coming of him at the end of time.
This is the daily spiritual Advent coming of Christ into our lives as we live them through His Church, its Sacraments (especially the Eucharist). Likewise, Christ comes through the Word of God and the worshipping community.
In summary, Advent reminds us of the three comings of the Lord. The coming in history over 2000 years ago. The coming in glory at the end of time when the dream of God for humankind will be realized. Finally, the coming in mystery through the happenings of daily life.
WATCHING AND WAITING FOR CHRIST COMING
Fundamentally, Christ has come, he will come again in glory, and he comes daily to us through the events and seasons of our lives. Spiritually, he comes through the Church, the sacraments, the Word of God and the Christian assembly.
Hence, the biblical readings of this Sunday admonish us to be vigilant for Advent. As it is a time of prayer, repentance and preparation for Christ coming. This is not a time for passivity, for God is at work, fulfilling his promises and crafting signs and wonders attesting to His glory.
FIRST SUNDAY OF ADVENT MESSAGE
There is no doubt that the Advent season at the end of the year calls us to a retreat of recollection. This is not only a reflection on the mystery of Christmas but also for life in general. We have lived through a year that is difficult and full of uncertainties.
Hence, the theme of hope is a much-needed one in this season of Advent. It is a message of hope in time to cheer us up amid the so many uncertainties, discouragement and chaos of life.
The Advent season begins with the messages: having hope and preparing for the coming of God in the Person of Christ.
FUNDAMENTAL QUESTIONS
Are you disposed to live through this Advent season with a living hope of a bright future despite all the looming darkness of hopelessness?
What is your personal take on the Advent season? A time of preparation spiritually to welcome Christ-Immanuel into your life? A time for God to be born spiritually in your heart as your Lord, Saviour and King?
Is Advent or Christmas season time for holidaying, feasting, without God or Christ? A moment of social, physical, emotional and financial preparation with no reference to Spiritual preparedness?
How prepared are you for Christ coming into your life daily or finally at the end of time? Are you vigilant or awake for when the Lord of time, space and history will manifest in glory?
THE LESSONS OF ADVENT
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. While offering us the many opportunities for togetherness or for deep and genuine healing and reconciliation with ourselves. We are called upon as individuals, families, communities, churches, or the world to let in the light of Christ birth into places of darkness, hate, divisions and selfishness.
It is in this context that we initiate the Advent season as a moment of grace. A season of a faith journey that ushers in a new era. The Messianic age of God becoming Man and dwelling among us forever: Immanuel. Advent is a moment of grace, peace, reconciliation, preparation, forgiveness, restoration, and mercy.
OUR PRAYER
Maranatha! Come, Lord Jesus! It is Advent. A time of waiting for you and of allowing you to be reborn in our lives. Help us to purify our hearts by repentance, and may your coming be always anticipated with preparation. Spiritually, may the commemoration of your birth and daily coming to us through the Sacraments (especially the Eucharist), through the Word of God, and through the worshipping community enrich us with grace and blessings. Equally, at the moment of our death, your Second Coming to judge the world may find us ready.
Maranatha! Come, Lord Jesus. We await your coming. Maranatha! Come, O Lord! Amen
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