Search
-
1st SUNDAY of ADVENT: YR. A
Prepare and Be Watchful!
Inspired by God, Isaiah the prophet sees a bright future for his people in the Messianic era. We Christians see Isaiah’s vision fulfilled in Jesus. “Advent” [Coming] indicates how Christians view the four- week period preceding the Nativity of the Lord - the annual celebration of the event of Christ’s birth. We have other “advents” of God: when we die, and then again at the end of time called the “Parousia.” This holy season is therefore a time of preparation and of hope, hope for peace in the world.
What is certain is that God will visit His people, but nobody can predict the time of the coming of the Son of man. When this happens, we shall become the point of reference for all the nations of the earth. With such privilege, we have the responsibility to “cast off the works of darkness.” This involves living our lives not in “orgies and drunkenness, not in promiscuity and lust, not in quarrel and jealousy.” [Rom.13: 11-14] These deeds of darkness can make us numb and insensitive to the beauty of life. Rather, let us “walk in the light of the Lord,” and put on the Lord Jesus Christ.
To prepare, we must rid ourselves of whatever hinders our Christian attitude of the expectation, which is an essential part of our Christian hope. This calls for good examination of conscience and for thorough interior purification. We must take note of the things that separate us from Christ and loosen their hold and cast them from us. We must penetrate to the very root of our actions and scrutinize deep down in our hearts the motives which inspire our actions. This advent gives us this opportunity. Let us use it wisely.