Readings: Jer 33:14-16; 1 Thes 3:12-4:2; Lk 21:25-28,34-36
Preparation, waiting and expectation are the key words
that help to focus on the message of this First Sunday of the Advent Season, as
we begin the new liturgical year. During the next four weeks, the Sunday
readings will focus our attention on preparation, waiting and expectation. Some
years ago there was some breaking news on TV that to me would be a good example
of preparation. The news was about a man in Memphis, Tennessee who accidentally
walked into a store during a robbery. The gunman pointed his pistol at him and
ordered him to hand over all his money. The man responded, “Go ahead and shoot.
I just been to Confession and Mass and took Holy Communion.” The robber was confused by that reaction, and
the man walked away safely. I tell this story because it helps to understand
the importance of being ready always to meet the Lord. That is what Jesus tells
us today. “The great day will suddenly close on you like a trap. So be on the
watch.” In the First Reading, the prophet Jeremiah tells us that in the past
the Lord God repeatedly made promises with Abraham and his descendants to bless
them with many descendants and prosperity. God also promised that a righteous
Branch would spring up from the line of King David. The prophet tells the
people that they would have a just king and his policies would bring security
to the kingdom and lead them to right relationship with God.
The word Advent comes from the Latin word “advenire” =
to come or the coming. It is therefore a time of preparation for the coming of
our Lord and Savior. We know how anxious we can be while waiting for an
important guest. Parents know how anxious they can be while waiting for the arrival
of a new baby. The homecoming of a loved one or a member of the family
similarly creates an occasion for anxiety while waiting for his return after
deployment overseas. Advent is therefore a season of preparation and waiting
for the coming of our Savior. The second reading of this Sunday centres on
spiritual preparation. Here Paul urges us to make more progress in our
Christian life, “the life that God wants”. Our waiting is based on the promise
that our Saviour will surely come. Promises can be a source of hope and forward
looking in life. They can inject a sense of purpose and meaning in daily life.
They can also enable us to endure present hardships and trials with the hope
that these will come to an end. In the Gospel, Jesus challenges us to be on our
guard so that our hearts are not weighed down by worldly vices and the worries
of this life. He urges us to be ready, so that day of the Lord will not catch
us unexpectedly, unprepared. No one knows when the end will come.
Therefore we should be prepared at all times. This is a time of
urgency and hence there is little time for complacency. So what is the
take away message? 1) Jesus in the Gospel challenges us to be on guard and like
the man in the story to be prepared spiritually because our liberation is at
hand. 2) Advent is an invitation to prepare a place in our hearts for the
Lord’s coming. 3) If we truly believe that Christ is coming anew, we will
strive to center our lives on Christ through prayer life, asking the Lord to
help us to make greater progress on the journey towards our extraordinary
mission.
©2018 John S Mbinda
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