FIRST SUNDAY OF ADVENT

Today, I extend to you the blessings of Advent and wish you a Happy New Liturgical Year. Let's brush up on a couple of things.

This past liturgical year, we studied the Gospel of Luke.  The year ended last weekend with the feast of Christ the King. This new liturgical year, we will be studying the Gospel of Matthew, which begins this weekend with the First Week of Advent.

What does the word “advent” mean?  It’s derived from the Latin “advenio,” which means “to come to.”

Perhaps the best-known of all Advent symbols is the Advent wreath.

• The wreath is the shape of a circle, symbolizing no beginning and no end, representing the eternity of God.
• The wreath is traditionally made of evergreens, which signify life.
• The four candles represent the four weeks of Advent: three purple candles to remind us that Advent is a time of prayer and penance, and one rose-colored candle for the third week of Advent to indicate rejoicing.
• Lighting of the candles reminds us that Christ is the light of the world.

Have you ever been asked, “Why do you Catholics celebrate Advent?”  Hopefully, your answer isn’t: “I don’t know.”  We celebrate the season of Advent to remember the three ways Christ comes to us in our world: the past, the present, and the future.

• Christ came to us, in the past, over 2000 years ago, in the city of Bethlehem.  He came silently into the world,  born to poor parents in an obscure village. This is historical, a one-time event that will not be repeated.
• Christ comes to us in the present, here and now.  For Catholics, Christ comes to us first and foremost in the gift of the Eucharist.  But, Christ also comes to us in the homeless person, the hungry, the sick, the dying or the abandoned child. Christ comes to us in the disguises of others. Mother Teresa put it clearly when she described all the people she helped, “Every one of them is Jesus in disguise.”
• Christ will come again in the future.  This is what is called his second coming, when Christ comes to take us to our eternal home.  This final coming of Christ, which we read about in today’s gospel, sounds like it will be anything but silent.

The Season of Advent is a warning to be alert and watchful, for we do not know when that future coming will occur.

Warning signs are a regular part of everyday life, and there seem to be more and more of them. 

• High Voltage Signs indicate areas where electrical hazards are present.

• Chemical Hazard Signs warn against exposure to toxic substances.
• Flammable Material Signs indicate the presence of combustible materials.
• Bear or Deer Crossing Signs are placed in areas with high bear or deer populations.
• Construction Zone Signs alert drivers to slow down due to construction activities ahead.

Obviously, there are dozens, maybe hundreds more.

These signs are supposed to serve as precautionary alerts to inform us of potential dangers or risks.  But how often do we read, understand and heed the warning in these signs?

For that matter, how often do we even see them?  How many of you have been pulled over by the police because you did not see the “reduced speed” or “yield” sign?

We are warned,  yet we might ignore or not even see the warning signs.

As we begin this new Liturgical Year, we are warned by St. Matthew in today's Gospel, “Therefore, stay awake.  For you do not know on which day your Lord will come.”  What Matthew is cautioning us about is not only the “end times” but also to live a healthy spiritual life right now.  He does not want us to be caught off guard.  Our gospel is a warning sign, but I'm afraid many of us will cruise right through this Advent season and beyond, without heeding or following the warning.

Instead, we will all become too busy with the Christmas hustle and bustle, the rush and crunch, the shopping, the decorating, parties, presents, cards and more.,

Just as we prepare our homes for special company during the holidays, we need to prepare our hearts during this Advent Season for the coming of Christ.

Rather than becoming overwhelmed with the commercial hype of Christmas, may I suggest we each focus on making time and space in our busy lives for the Lord during these four weeks of Advent through daily prayer, reflections and Sacred Scripture.

Besides wrapping presents for others, let’s wrap ourselves in the comfort of God’s presence and love and unwrap ourselves so we are open to warning signs about being alert and watchful.

 

Have a Blessed Advent!