Homily (Reflection) for
the First Sunday of Advent, (A) (27th November, 2016) on the Gospel
Is 2:1-5;
Ps 122:1-2.4-5.6-7.8-9
(R. v.1);
Rom 13:11-14a;
Matt 24:37-44.
Today is the first day and the
first Sunday of the liturgical Year. The Church’s calendar is known as the
Liturgical year or calendar and is divided into seasons. They are Advent,
Christmas, Lent, Easter, and the Ordinary time of the year. These are set aside
to celebrate various events in Jesus’ life.
To help us reap the best out of the
season of Advent, let us consider its meaning as we celebrate the First Sunday
of Advent today. The Liturgical year begins with the Evening prayer I of the
First Sunday of Advent which is the evening prayer of the Saturday that precedes
the First Sunday of Advent and ends on Saturday of the 34th week of
the Ordinary Time. The development of the Liturgical year was a complex process
involving many traditions and cultures and was developed over the years that I
do not consider important here. The Liturgical year is all about the story of
our salvation. It guides us as we journey from this valley of tears to the
eternal Kingdom.
The word Advent is from the
Latin word adventus meaning arrival, approach,
or coming. The First Sunday of Advent falls between November 27 and December 3
whereas the Fourth Sunday of Advent falls between 18th and 24th
December. The season of Advent consists of four (4) Sundays but not necessarily
four full weeks. During the season of Advent, the liturgical colour is violet
or purple with the exception of Third Sunday of Advent called Gaudete or
Rejoice Sunday when rose or pink vestment can be used. Gloria is not said during
Mass. The season is divided into two – from the Evening Prayer I of the First
Sunday of Advent to 16th December and from 17th December
to 24th December.
Unlike what some
has in mind, the season of Advent is a time of preparation not just for the
celebration of the birth of Jesus Christ. We prepare ourselves most importantly
for the coming of Jesus as the Judge of
the living and the dead either at one’s death or at the end of the world. We
also prepare during Advent to receive Jesus in the Holy Eucharist on Christmas.
We are to prepare for Christ who lives in our lives through His graces, cf. 1Cor 6:19, Rev 3:20. We are called to
prepare for the coming of our Lord in a spirit of waiting, conversion, hope and
prayer. Advent is sometimes called the little Lent because in most Eastern
Orthodox and other Eastern Christian Churches, it is also a time of fasting which
is called Nativity Fast or Advent Fast which lasts for forty days.
Topic: Preparedness for the Lord.
Just as we have seen while
explaining the season of Advent, the Liturgical year is all about our lives as Christians.
It should not be seen as one of the things the Church does annually.
The gospel calls our minds to the
importance of being ready at all times. Because Jesus can come at anytime, He tells
us: “Keep awake therefore, for you do not know on what day your Lord is coming”.
The concluding verse also followed the same route: “Therefore you also must be
ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an unexpected hour”. He had also told us
earlier: “But about that day and hour no one knows … but only the Father” (Matt 24:36).
This call to be ready at all
times made me to remember what happened so many years back. That fateful day, I
went to the Christmas vigil with clothes that could be managed for a rag. My
attention was called to that but I re-assured myself that nobody would be able
to see clearly in the church because it was dark. When I was still at home and while
on the road, I thought I was wiser than Solomon because it was all dark but on
reaching the Church, the drum without my consent changed its beating. Thanks to
the generating set. It was as if everybody was looking at the “rag” that I was putting
on. I cannot remember whether I was able to get up for anything throughout the
Mass because I was ashamed of myself.
How do you prepare for
Christmas? This period is different things for different people. It maybe for
some a time to plan for their wedding or time to buy new clothing, and so on. Some
have even turned the period of Christmas from being a time of rest to a time of
stress. In the past people come back during Christmas to have rest, but today
it has become something else. For many it is a period for settling disputes
which is not necessarily bad provided peace is sought for and not making pretences
because we are preparing for the Prince and Lord of peace, cf. Is 9:6, Heb 13:20, 2Thess 3:16. Will it
be absurd to say that some may be preparing the troubles they will unleash this
Christmas season among other evils?
But despite what you have prepared or still
preparing for Christmas, it is possible for you to denounce your plans to do
evil. The season of Advent is a season for us to plan the good to do during
Christmas. For instance, in some cultures an empty crib or manger is expected
to be softened by the members of the family with straw earned by sacrifice,
prayer, and work of mercy. God wants to bless someone this Christmas through
you.
As we prepare for the coming of Jesus, do you
remember that vigil mass I attended unprepared and how wrong I was? Do you know
that at a point I even thought that everything including the walls of the
church and the pew I was sitting on were discussing about how stupid I was? How
will it be when one stands before God? It was not that I did not have something
better but I thought that nobody could see me just as some do evil thinking
that nobody is seeing them. Thank God I have the opportunity of making amends. But
remember that at the coming of the Son of man, the source of light, nothing
will be hidden and there will be no room for amendment. We can still make
amends today. Time will come when the beating of the drums will change as it
once changed in my own case in the church. That day, it will not be necessary
to tell one about the other because everything will be glaring. This is the
proper time, prepare for the Lord, cf. Mk
1:15.
In conclusion, the season of Advent is not just a season
that precedes Christmas but very importantly a season that prepares for it. That
is to say, there is no Christmas without an Advent. It is therefore very
important for us to prepare ourselves well as we ought to during this season
because we cannot celebrate Christmas without first celebrating Advent.
Bible Reading: 1Cor 16:13-14; 2Cor 6: 14-7:1; Rom
12: 9-13:10; Col 4:2-6; 1Pt 5:1-11.
Thought for today: Will you prepare for the coming of Jesus?
Let us pray: Almighty God, give
us the grace to prepare for the memorial of the first coming of your Son, our
Lord Jesus Christ and for his second coming. Bless us all as we struggle to
walk in your light through Christ our Lord – Amen.
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Let us pray with the Holy
Father:
