On this first Sunday in Advent Isaiah reveals God’s plan for the world. The prophet presents a vision for “the days to come.” It is for both the end time and for a project that can be fulfilled in history. The Temple mount in Jerusalem shall be “the highest mountain and raised above the hills.” It’s metaphorical language promising the Temple’s preeminence on earth. All peoples will be drawn to it to be instructed in God’s ways. They will come under God’s rule and so there will be world peace. When nations dispute one another God will be the judge. Just judgment will be passed to settle disputes and so there will no longer be a need for weapons of war.
But first things first. In order for this transformation of the world take place the prophet appeals to the “house of Jacob.” “Oh house of Jacob come, let us walk in the light of the Lord!” (Note the exclamation point — it’s an urgent message.) Big change must start close to home. If the people want to have the nations of the world come to accept God’s teaching and live in peace, then “the house of Jacob” must themselves begin by turning to God in obedience and trust — that’s the project that needs to be addressed right now.
While the season of Advent does not have the penitential aspects of Lent still, as Advent begins, we hear a call to come back to God and live under God’s rule. Advent reminds us that God’s reign is coming and the Word calls us to repentance and obedience. If believers are to make a difference in the world and draw people to God, then we first must make the necessary changes in our own lives and “walk in the light of the Lord.” As Paul also calls us to do today, “Let us then throw off the works of darkness.”
There is a modern day sadness to those of us who hear Isaiah call to the people of Judah to turn away from foreign alliances and trust in God’s power. Is there any parcel of land in the world that has had more persistent violence than Palestine? Through all the centuries, right up to the present, the land of our spiritual ancestors has suffered foreign invasion, revolution, religious conflict and civil strife. We can only pray and hope for what Isaiah envisions, when the peoples of the Middle East — indeed the whole world — will “train for war no more” and beat their “swords into plowshares and their spears into pruning hooks.” There’s a prayer that we can take with us this Advent!
The earliest Christian community expected Jesus’ imminent return. But when he didn’t come and the years grew into decades, the community adopted a stance of patient expectation. The conclusion of our gospel passage today sums up the directives to the Christian community through the ages: “So too, you also must be prepared, for at an hour you do not expect, the Son of Man will come.” That quote calls to mind what was true for a young, robust, 28-year-old friend of mine who died as he was jogging one early Spring day. We are to live each day fully, ready, patiently, aware that “the Son of Man” is coming at an hour we do not expect.
In the 21st century we do not look for his “coming” with the same intense expectation of the first Christians. Still, we believe Jesus’ coming is always happening in many unexpected ways. Christ is constantly and unexpectedly breaking into our lives to forgive our past, grace and challenge our present and keep our hope alive for the future. Christ always is — and yet, he comes afresh to renew his promise that, no matter how dark the present is, darkness and death will be overcome by his light. Therefore, he tells us, stay awake and be prepared for his coming. Isaiah said that long ago, to another people suffering their own darkness and despair, “O house of Jacob, let us walk in the light of the Lord.”
The gospel asks us to see the present as oriented to the future so that we can pursue life in light of the approaching kingdom of God. One day God will miraculously and decisively establish God’s rule, but even now, God is at work in the Son to motivate us towards right behavior. It is a tension isn’t it — the present and the future before us disciples at the same time? Jesus exhorts his community to see their lives being shaped now by what we expect in the future.
Whether we live in the city, suburbs, or a rural area, we take precautions against intruders. We have exterior lights that are activated at night by movement and automatically switch on to keep possible intruders away. Our stores and streets are under constant surveillance of video cameras, filming anyone who enters or passes by. It’s hard to find a dark enough place to view the stars, there is so much artificial light on at night. We are very careful to protect our homes and property.
What about vigilance and readiness to meet the Lord, even in our ordinary duties and daily activities? We do so many activities every day that appear to be much like what everyone else does. What’s the real distinction then between what they do and how we act? In the light of Jesus’ words we need to see our tasks at hand as opportunities to serve God and neighbor. Somehow that way of living will be our way of staying awake, expecting the Son of Man to come at any moment.
So many centuries have gone by and most of us don’t have the same vivid expectation of the Lord’s imminent return as the first Christians did. Still, we believe what Christ tells us today: that at an hour we do not expect “the Son of Man will come.” His words should give us a sense of urgency: to do now what we know we should do, but have been postponing; to fulfill our commitments both to God, and our neighbor with diligence, love and care — before it is too late.
Is the gospel passage today just meant to be a warning and nothing else? Each passage of the gospels contain some good news for us. So, where’s the grace, the good news, in today’s? The message of Christ coming is good news, for it is not simply a warning, but an announcement that the Christ who is to come is the one proclaimed in the gospel — the merciful Lord who is a friend to sinners and outcasts.
SIGNS OF THE TIMES
The Gospels have saved for us the various ways by which Jesus insistently told us to stay always awake and vigilant, paying attention to the signs of the times. At the beginning, the early Christians paid special attention to be prepared for the imminent coming of the Lord. Later on, they learned to become aware of such signs and changes as time went by, and stayed faithful to Jesus’ doctrines.
This is how Vatican II expressed this concern: “It is the permanent duty of the Church, discerning in depth the signs of these times and interpret them in the light of the Gospel, so that, in accordance with each generation, we can respond to the ongoing questions by humans with regard to the meaning of life in the present and the future…”
Among the signs of these times, the Council points to a painful fact:
“There is a growing phenomenon, day by day, of the practical rejection of religion by the masses.” How do we interpret this serious sign? Are we really aware of what is happening? Is it enough that we attribute it to materialism, secularism and the social rejection of God? Can’t we listen, within the Church, to the call to conversion?
The majority of the Christians are leaving silently, without making much noise. Actually, they were always mute within the Church. Nobody had asked them anything anyway. They never thought they had anything to contribute. So now they stay away quietly. What has really caused their departure? Who listens to them? Did they ever feel wanted, listened to and accepted in their communities?
Many of those who have left were simple Christians who were used to observing their religious obligations. The religion they had been taught has now disappeared. They did not have the strength to face the new challenges of these new times. What did they learn from us? Where else can they hear the Gospel messages? Where will they find Christ?
Still others remain disappointed. They are tired of hearing always words that don’t touch their hearts or answer their questions. They are hurt when they hear about the “permanent scandal” within the Church. A few continue their search for the Truth. Who can really make the Good News
acceptable?
Benedict XVI has been telling us all along that the real danger for the Church does not come from outside, but it has be to found inside, within our own sins and infidelities. This is a time to react. The conversion of the Church is possible, but it has to start with our own conversion, each one of us.
WAITING
“Waiting is a must, a duty – not a luxury. Waiting is not dreaming, but a way of turning dreams into reality. Lucky are those who dare to dream and are willing and ready to pay the price and make those dreams take shape and become part of human history.” ( Cardinal L. Suenens )
Advent is a time to wake up, a ‘young’ season, a new opportunity – the beginning of a new advent-ure! Much of our lives is spent in sleep or in a state of slumber. We do not think about or show any interest in the Messiah. Much of the world does not look for the Messiah any longer. Most of us simply wait for solutions to our economic, political and cultural problems. We want an end to terrorism, wars and poverty. Despair is rampant, leading to alienation and unbelief.
Advent, in contrast, is a time to hope, to love and to believe. ‘Hope is the last thing we should lose.’ We become, in a way, what we look forward or hope to attain. Like a pregnant mother, each one of us must have a time to wait and a hope to turn into a reality. With Paul we cry, “waiting for the time of delivery – and liberation.” ( Romans 8:19-22 ). In a way, too, we are what we love. God is love, and we are made in His image. We are defined by our loves – not as a ‘pastime’, but as a passion. Those who are not loved become sick, and those who cannot love are, in a way, dead. Finally, we become what we believe. Without great convictions, we cannot move forward; if we doubt about everything, where can we go or move towards?
Advent, finally, is a time to pray. Prayer transcends all human levels. The Church,
moved by the Spirit and the Bride, keep saying: “Come!” (Ap. 22:17 ). There is nothing impossible for God. A virgin will give birth and a sterile woman will have a child. Truly, we become what we believe, and we are what we hoped for. We can even believe and “wait against all hope” ( Rom. 4, 18 ). God so loved the world that now “nothing can separate us from His love.” ( Rom. 8:31-39 )
Did the Messiah really come? If He came to save us – why hasn’t the world changed for the better during the past two thousand years? This question bothered even the early Christians! There are no definite answers to these mysteries, but they are all connected with the preaching and parables that Christ left us.
The Kingdom of God does not belong to this world.
The kingdom of God is within each one of us.
The life of the Christian community is already a sign and a prophecy of the
world to come. The Eight Beatitudes are a rehearsal f the Kingdom of God.
The Church must be a witness and a living practice of the kingdom.
Most of today’s commonly accepted values, such as the dignity of the human person, the rights of all people, justice for all, liberty, tolerance, solidarity, non-violence and peace…were inspired and proclaimed by Christ’s Gospel.
The Church does still present and defend those cultural, social and spiritual
realities that show the way and give hope for a new kingdom – the one inspired
by the person and preaching of Christ.
There is still a lot to be done. Christ did not want to do everything…He wanted
us to be collaborators – co-redeemers.
AWAKE
Staying awake is sometimes a matter of life of death. A person who falls asleep at the wheel of a car may suffer a fatal crash. A person who falls asleep smoking a cigarette may ignite a fatal fire. A person who falls asleep at the switch may cause a fatal derailment. Staying awake spiritually is no less urgent. It is often the matter of spiritual life or death.
Jesus preached the urgency of preparing for the coming kingdom o God. He admonished His followers to “Stay Awake” because they did not know when their appointed time would come. While we may not expect the imminent return of Jesus Christ to this earth, his summons to “Stay Awake!” still makes good spiritual sense.
Active, hopeful waiting makes all the difference in our spirits and behavior – children waiting for Santa Claus, a pregnant mother waiting for childbirth. Today’s Gospel meant a lot in Christ’s time, and it should equally mean a lot today, in XXI c.
Active waiting keeps us awake in our souls. When the disciples of Buddha asked him to reveal his true identity, he answered them, “I am Awake.” By this he meant to teach his disciples that it is possible to go through life as if in a coma, sleeping through the days and nights. Jesus is not suggesting that sleep is wicked. He also went to rest. But he also stayed awake on special occasions, praying through the. There is a time to sleep and a time to stay awake.
Jesus calls us to be alert, not lazy: focusing on what goes around us and learning to listen to the wisdom that calls from within you.
Like servants who take care of home and property while the master is away, we must be ready and alert, having done our work – without any fear about when the master is going to return home – or take us to His eternal home. We do not know the day or the hour. But we know what we are supposed to be ready for.
We, too, keep waiting for something better or worse to come: children to be born, to grow up, to be married. We wait for relationships and illnesses to heal and bad governments to change! We wait for a job, for a stroke of good luck, for “things to get better”.
Advent can be likened to pregnancy, a woman wrote: waiting is often necessary for something good that is coming. Like pregnancy, nothing of value comes into being without a period of quiet incubation. Not a healthy baby, not a loving relationship, not a reconciliation, a work of art, and never a transformation. Brewing, baking, simmering, fermenting, ripening, gestating are processes of becoming, and they are symbolic states of being that belong in a life of value necessary for transformation.