THE LORD’S COMING AND OUR HOPEFUL WAITING
It is a new season of the church’s liturgical year, the season of advent which means the lord’s coming to save us and our hopeful waiting in preparation. The word advent in Latin “adventus” means “coming”.
This is the coming of Jesus into the world. Advent is intended to be a season of anticipation for Christ coming, preparation for Christ coming and reparation for Christ coming at Christmas. Advent also marks the start of the liturgical New Year and a moment of grace, mercy, peace, love, and salvation.
OUR THEME
The readings of this Sunday and the central theme of this first Sunday of advent offer us hope. There is hope in the Lord’s coming and our patient waiting for that coming. However, in between the Lord’s coming and hopeful waiting, we have to get ourselves prepare.
The most central theme of the Advent season is preparation and joyful anticipation for the Lord’s coming at Christmas. One thing, we must be sure of is that Christ comes daily into our lives in great and small insignificant ways.
The Lord was once historical when the prophets prepare us to receive him and therefore to be full of salvation. This is the mystery of the incarnation and birth of the expected Messiah. Interestingly, we also await the second coming of the Lord at the end of our time on earth. When Christ will come in his glory to establish the Kingdom of God.
Yet, in between the first coming of the Lord, his incarnation and birth and the second coming of the Lord at the end of time. We experience the daily coming of the Lord into our lives in the great and small events.
FIRST READING: ISAIAH 2:1-5
In the first reading from Prophet Isaiah 2:1-5, Isaiah describes his vision in which all nations are gathered together by God in peace. There is hope renewal and restoration in Christ’s coming. When there will be a happy future for all who seek the truth and work for peace.
The prophecy Isaiah offers a living hope to the people of Israel amidst painful situations to rely on God for salvation and the restoration of unity and lasting peace.
Peace is one of the alluding factors in the world of today. Indeed, we all need peace in our hearts, lives, families, societies and churches. An enduring and lasting peace which only the Lord Jesus Christ can ordain for us through truth and justice.
Though, we are all challenged to be instruments of peace and justice in the world through our submission to Christ and our imitation of him.
SECOND READING: ROMANS 13:11-14
St. Paul in Rom 13:11-14 encourages us to be prepared, salvation is near, and he urges us to wake up from sleep, come out of the night and darkness of vices into the light of God´s grace, mercy and virtues of the Christian life.
St. Paul in his letter reminds the Roman Christians of the need for change in lifestyle, for preparedness in waiting and anticipation for salvation in Christ Jesus.
THE GOSPEL: MATTHEW 24:37-44
In the gospel of Matthew 24:37-44, Jesus tells his disciples that the coming of the Son of Man will catch many people unprepared like the Noah flood or the coming of a thief. Jesus tells his disciples that they are to always be ready for the day of the Lord.
The Evangelist Matthew gives us the central theme of Advent, naming readiness, awareness and preparation for the Lord’s coming most unexpectedly.
ADVENT IN OUR DAILY LIVES
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 more 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 the time of such preparation.
THE SPIRIT OF ADVENT
Thank God it is Advent time once again. A much-needed season and time to cheer us up amidst so many uncertainties, discouragement and chaos. Hence, the first Sunday of Advent begins with the messages: having hope and preparing for God’s coming in the Person of Christ.
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, many opportunities for togetherness, for bridge building, for deep and genuine healing and reconciliation in ourselves, in our families, our communities and in our world by letting in light into places of darkness, hate, divisions and selfishness.
OUR PRAYER
Lord Jesus Christ, help us to shun the doomsday paranoia on the one hand and reckless complacency on the other. May Christ coming daily in our lives meet us joyful in hope, enriching in faith and giving in love and may we prepare for his rebirth in our hearts and lives, to radiate his love, mercy, compassion, and forgiveness around us. Amen
Maranatha! Come, Lord Jesus. We await your coming. Maranatha! Come O Lord! Amen
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