Once again, Happy New Year and welcome to another liturgical year … another Advent … a new opportunity to prepare our minds and hearts for the coming of Jesus into the world on Christmas Day and at the end of time. How blessed we are to believe that the infinite, almighty, eternal God came among us in time. We are even more blessed to believe that his coming offers us the hope for eternal live in God’s loving embrace. Advent Season speaks of both of these comings and it’s important to pay attention to both. At Christmas, we celebrate the birth of our Lord. But, he will come again at the end of time and we need to be ready for his coming.
Over the past several months, I was able to share in the joyful expectation of my one of my nephews and his wife as they awaited the birth of their first daughter. And, I was one of the first they called – after their parents, of course – when little Whitney was born. I dashed right to their home and was among the first to hold her; how precious. You who are parents can certainly remember the excitement you felt as you awaited your first child’s birth and the inexpressible joy you experienced as he or she came into the world. This is the kind of excitement and joy we are called to have as we wait, hope, dream and prepare for the arrival of the Christ child during this Advent season. And, just as the birth of your first child changed your lives, so the birth of Jesus changed the lives of all people forever. Jesus lovingly showed us how to live in relationship with God and one another to prepare us to be with God – a loving communion of Father, Son and Holy Spirit – forever. So what can we learn from today’s readings as we begin this sacred season of Advent?
In our first reading from the book of the prophet Isaiah, we hear of a people who have turned away from God. Isaiah describes them as “unclean,” “withered” and guilt-ridden, comparing their deeds to “polluted rags”- what an image! As we see throughout Bible – and, if we are honest with ourselves, it happens in our lives as well – it is we who repeatedly turn away from God. God never turns away from us. In this morning’s first reading, we hear the prophet Isaiah reflect this reality and beg God to step in and return his chosen people into a right relationship with one another and with God. Jesus will be God’s loving answer to his pleas.
In contrast to today’s rather foreboding Old Testament passage, St. Paul’s letter to the Corinthians offers hope. Paul, living in the light of Christ’s resurrection, assures us that we are not lacking in any spiritual gift. As we wait in joyful hope for the second coming of our Savior, Paul reminds us that our faith will provide us with guidance and strength to endure any hardship.
In today’s Gospel, we hear Jesus emphatically tell us what we must do as we await his return: “Watch!” we hear three times in this short passage. And, as we watch, Jesus instructs us to be about the work that God has called us to do, following the example that Jesus gave us while he was in our midst. One of Jesus’ greatest gifts while he walked among us was his loving, healing presence. We, who follow him, can ask ourselves: who would benefit most this season from the gift of our loving presence? We can be a sign of our Lord’s loving healing presence to that person; what a gift.
Advent challenges us to be alert to the ways we can turn our minds and hearts back to God and others. We are called to take this time to clear out any and all earthly distractions. We are to allow God – who is the potter and we are the clay – to mold us into the work of his hands. Then, we can bring Jesus more fully into our lives and our world.
Advent is a time when we actively await the coming of our Lord. As we await his return, we do the work he has charged us to do: to bring God’s love into the world that needs it so desperately!
Our Lord has, indeed, already come and is in our midst. It is our task to make him known – by our words and deeds – until the time when he comes again in glory. Come, Lord Jesus!