FIRST SUNDAY OF ADVENT
1 DECEMBER 2024
The
prophet Jeremiah speaks to a people dwelling in the darkness of their captivity
in Babylon. Both Jerusalem and the
temple have been destroyed, and they cannot see much hope for the future. However, Jeremiah gives them hope. Even though he admits that their lack of
fidelity to the Covenant was a primary cause for their present condition, he
assures them that God has not abandoned them.
God will keep his promise to King David and raise up for them a just
shoot. He promises that Judah shall be
safe and Jerusalem shall dwell secure.
We too are
dwelling in our share of darkness. The
darkness is not only this time of the year in the northern hemisphere, with
shorter days and the onslaught of winter.
We dwell in the darkness of dangerous wars, a lack of respect for the
dignity of human life at all levels, and a terrible plague of division and
distrust in our country and in our world.
We begin the Season of Advent in the darkness of this world. And our scripture readings encourage us to
dwell in this darkness with a real sense of hope. In these four weeks of Advent, we prepare to
celebrate the fulfillment of Jeremiah’s promise. We prepare to celebrate the first coming of
that just shoot, Jesus Christ, at Christmas.
But Advent
also prepares us for his second coming at the end of time. The Lord’s description of that coming in the
Gospel may be frightening. But it is
also hopeful, because it reveals the honest truth that our lives and our world
as we know them will come to an end. For
that reason, Jesus tells us who believe in his Incarnate presence to be
vigilant at all times. The Greek word
for being vigilant means “to be sleepless, to keep awake,” the way a soldier on
guard keeps alert for the coming of an enemy.
Being vigilant or watchful does not mean that we need to cower in fear
or dread, any more than a soldier or a guard would cower in fear.
A modern
equivalent of being vigilant and not becoming drowsy might be a paramedic. Paramedics are trained to respond immediately
when they are called to an emergency.
They receive training and continuously practice life-saving techniques
and knowledge. They do not live in a
state of vigilance. But when they are
called to an emergency, they are prepared to deal with their own fear and
distress and the distress of those who have called them to stabilize a patient
and get that person to the hospital.
In being
alert and watchful for the second coming of Jesus Christ, either at the end of
our lives or at the end of the world, we who are disciples of Jesus Christ are
not passive. We prepare by living out
the Christian life. We foster a
relationship with God and with this Christian community. We worship Jesus Christ and serve the needs
of others. We encounter Christ in the
face of the poor and witness to the faith in the lives we live. We recognize the presence of the Lord in
every human being, even in those with whom we disagree and who drive us crazy. We acknowledge our sins and receive the
Lord’s mercy in the Sacrament of Reconciliation and receive the grace to extend
the Lord’s mercy to those who offend us.
If we practice recognizing the Lord’s presence in those we encounter, we
will recognize him at the end.
In actively
living the Christian life, we receive training, practice life-saving
techniques, and knowledge. Like
paramedics, we can become a calming presence when the earth falls into
disarray, panic, and fear. Or like sentries
on duty, we continue to receive direction from our Commander in the Word of God
spoken to us each Sunday. We are aware
of the activity of the enemy. We are
ready to fulfill our responsibilities.
As we now prepare ourselves to receive the real presence of the Lord in
this Eucharist, may we prepare ourselves for his Second Coming in such a way
that we can embrace, encounter, and enjoy that moment when it does come.
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