Homily (2) First Sunday of Advent
Year A: Michael U Udoekpo
Readings: Isaiah 2:1-5; Ps 122:1-9; Rom
13:11-14; Matt 24:37-44
Come- Renew your Hope
Each year we set out on a journey of reliving
the mysteries of Advent (coming) of Christ Jesus, with joy. Today again ushers
in Advent, a season of hope and joyful- spiritual expectation of Christ at
Christmas and
Parousia. Christ is the Light of the world, and a warrior
who gives us victory. His presence among us is everlasting. This presence is
symbolized by our Advent wreath. This is also a season that each of us is
encouraged to recall and reflect on the history of their salvation. The history
of all that God has done for us from creation.
Israel’s prophets, John the Baptist
and Mary who waited for Christ with love are our models and witnesses to his
expectation preparedness to welcome the Lord. Israel’s prophets were the
conscience of the people of their times. They encouraged believers in times of
despair to hope; in times of temptation to trust in God alone. They pronounced
judgment as well God’s love, peace and salvation for the poor remnant.
In the first reading, from the
Prophet Isaiah we hear that God is coming with salvation for the poor displaced
by wars and man’s instinct to dominate another. We hear from Isaiah that all
nations will stream to the mountain of the Lord and that God will re-establish Jerusalem (Zion)
as the center of His worldwide kingdom and reconcile hostile nations to
Himself. Moreover, nations shall not raise sword against another, nor shall
they train for war anymore (Isa 2:3-4; Mic 4:2ff).
Prophet Isaiah, whom we shall
hear often from this Advent, was addressing a nation that had experienced wars,
and threats upon threats of war and annihilation. He was addressing Ahaz,
Hezekiah and a nation of Judah
whose pilgrimage of faith and hope were shaken. He was addressing a nation that
had witnessed concrete threats of Assyrian and Babylonian military arsenal. He
was addressing a people who were afraid of losing the promise that God had
promised David, that a shoot, shall come from the house of David or that Mary
will be the mother of Christ at Christmas ( Isa 7:4). He was addressing a
nation left with the choice to worship God or not to worship God; to rely on
God or on human military power. Isaiah
did what was prophetically possible to give them hope and signs of optimism
that God is always with us. God will never abandon Jerusalem.
Isaiah’s message of hope is also
reflected in today’s Psalm 122,
a pilgrimage song “I will rejoice when I heard them say
“we will go to the Lord’s House… pray for the peace of Jerusalem, may those who love you prosper.”
This song reflects not only the pilgrimage of Israel but what went on in their
lives journeys; the sufferings and the fatigue they endured; the dust the swallowed on the way; the hunger they
experienced, the threats of foreign military might watching them, the
thirstiness and homelessness they lived through. Yet, we hear this song of
hope- “I will go (nahalak) to the Lord’s House. I will wait for the Lord
with joyful praise.
Our Christian life is a
pilgrimage from baptism to meeting Christ at the parousia. On this
journey, which is usually very long, often there are mistakes, bumps, doubts,
temptations, frustrations, hesitations, uncertainties, and some spiritual
casualties on the way. While travelling
this road of life many of us may have lost our jobs or our loved ones. Some of
us may have experienced what unemployment after years of college is like or
some other unpleasant experiences that would make us less hopeful that God is
still with us. Many may still be
searching for a good health care. Some
may still be thinking of the unending wars and threat of terrorism, acts of
violence, the tsunamis, the typhoon, and the sandies, as well as mountain of
student’s loans or lack of access to college education.
There are also many who feel
excluded in today's, socio-economic and political-religious fabrics of the society. These
are the poor, the weak, the destitute and the needy that Pope Francis recently
addressed in his Apostolic Exhortation,
Evangelii Gaudium (the Gospel of Joy). The poor are threatened by the great
dangers of today’s world, “pervaded as it is by consumerism,… the desolation
and anguish born of complacent yet covetous heart, the feverish pursuit of
frivolous pleasures, and a blunted conscience” of some (EG, n.2).
However, like the contemporaries of Isaiah we
still share today in the hope, peace, joy, prosperity and salvation that await
us in the future coming of Christ. The Early Christian communities were also a
hopeful community. They were always expecting and looking forward to the Second
Coming of Christ.
For Paul in Roman 13:11-14 just as in today’s
Gospel of Matthew 24:37-44 waiting for Christ should not be in idleness or
wastefulness in works of darkness and sins of rivalry, unhealthy competition,
jealousy, drunkenness and lust, but we should all remain clothed with an amore
of light, watchful through prayers, mortification, detachment, examination of
our consciences, works of charity, peace cultivation, community and nation
building. Opposite of these would have distracted us from this watchfulness.
After all if the coming of Christ
to us at Christmas and at the Parousia is meaningful, Jesus’ concrete and daily
coming to our lives is as also important. Christ comes to us in our children
and in our neighbor’s children. Christ comes to us in our husbands and in our
neighbor’s husbands. Christ comes to us in our wives and in our neighbor’s
wives. Christ comes to us in our priests and pastors.. Christ comes to us in
our brothers and sisters, in our neighbors. He comes to us in the Scriptures
and in the Eucharist of which we avail ourselves of at this Year’s Advent. He
comes to us in our friends, in the poor, in the sick, in the needy, in the less
fanciful. He comes to us in those that
are less friendly to us. He comes to us in every event of our lives and in the
Sacraments. Can we wait with hope, can we offer hope to others and recognize
Christ advent and his presence in our midst?
And may the advent of Christ find us at peace,
reliving our hope, vigilant in prayer, rejoicing in His abiding presence (Zeph
3:17) and welcoming Him in the Light of His truth and love. Amen.
