First Sunday of
Advent Year C: Fr. Michael Ufok Udoekpo
·
Jer 33:14-16;
·
Ps 25:4-5,8-10,14;
·
1 Thes 3:12–4:2
·
Luke 21:25-28,34-36
In Preparation for
Christ- Advent
Advent is a
preparation for Christmas. It is a time we celebrate the first coming of our
Savior, Son of Man, and Son of God. It is also a season which our minds and
thoughts are spiritually and joyfully directed in expectation to the Second
coming of Christ. Advent is a season of hope. It is a season of love. It is
a season of faith; a season of renewal, a time of prayer and vigilance
in penance and charity.
Few years ago,
this time in the United States and in other English speaking countries we embraced
and implemented the new translation of the Third Edition of the Roman Missal.
Today also especially in this part of the world our anniversary, in a sense, of
the new missal, our prayer and faith book. So today we celebrate the unity of
our faith in Christ Jesus the bridegroom of the Church.
One thing you
would notice in the Bible readings of today is that in as much as advent
commemorates past events, it mediates salvation, and deepens our awareness of
Christ’s presence in the Church and the fulfillment of that promise made by God
to our ancestors, Abraham, Moses, Isaac, Jacob, Sarah, David through the mouths
of the prophets. It is a celebration of hope!
Take the first reading for example. In the
midst of threats of the Babylonian military might, threats of exile, loss of
homes, lives, the temple and its treasures, the Prophet Jeremiah, a late
pre-exilic prophet, mediates with words of hope. He recalls the promise God had
made to David in 2 Samuel 7:11-16, “in those days, in that time, I will raise
up for David a just-shoot; he shall do what is right and just in the land. In
those days Judah shall be safe and Jerusalem shall dwell secure…” (Jer
33:14-16).
And Paul said
similar words of encouragement to the troubled Thessalonians Church,
“brothers and sisters may the lord make you increase and abound in love for one
another and for all, just as we have for you, so as to strengthen your hearts,
to be blameless in holiness before our God and Father at the coming of our Lord
Jesus with all his holy ones,” (1 Thess 3:12–4:2)
Apart from Jeremiah
and his contemporaries, or Paul and his Thessalonians Church, the Lukan Jesus
towards the end of his ministry, and as he approaches his passion, instructs
his troubled disciples as well of their preparedness. Christ says;
“Beware that
your hearts do not become drowsy from carousing and drunkenness and the anxiety
of daily lives, and that day catches you by surprise like a trap. For that day
will assault everyone who lives on the face of the earth. Be vigilant at all
times…” (Luke 21:25-28, 34-36).
This awareness
or vigilance is at the core of the message of advent. We are reminded in our
various cultures and situations in life to be vigilance with hope, faith, and
love and total self-reexamination. Jeremiah had asked his people of the same
vigilance. Paul did the same to the Thessalonians Church. From the locations of our families, churches,
dioceses, and chaplaincies, Advent is a time we are to remain vigilance in appreciating
of what God has done for us not only at the present, but also in the past and
will continue to do for us in the future. Advents also reminds us of what God
expects of us and what he will continue to do for us, provided we listen to
him!
It requires,
if I may add of prayers and in being
vigilance to the beautiful prophetic messages of this season. John the Baptist
the last prophet before Christ bears this message as well. He says to us repent
for the Kingdom of God is at hand. John remains our model during this advent.
Besides
John the Baptist, Mary is another model. She is closely related to the
mysteries of her Son, Christ whom we expect at Christmas. Recall how Mary will
react to the message of the angels and the mysteries of her pregnancy. She took
everything in with faith. She prepared and waited for her Son’s coming with
love, hope, generosity of mind, humility, openness, transparency, vigilance,
prayer and joyful praise.
May we imitate
the prophets, John the Baptist and our Mother Mary, in our various capacities,
as we prepare and awaits the coming of Christ at Christmas and at the parousia.
Reflection
Questions;
1. What does the
Bible lessons of today say to us as individual and family or religious groups?
2. How disposed are we to prepare for the coming of Christ at Christmas and at the Parousia?
3. In what form
are we appreciative of what God has done for us in history? Do we invite our
neighbors to do so and how?
