Homily First Sunday of Advent Year C Preparing for his coming
Homily
First Sunday of Advent Year C
Reading
1: The prophet Jeremiah speaks a word of hope and anticipated joy to a people
in desolation. The people of Israel have been exiled from Judea because they
had not heeded the word of God to remain faithful to their covenant with God.
Thus, the prophetic word they did not heed became a reality, namely exile from
Jerusalem and specifically from the Temple, symbol of God’s presence.
Now,
God speaks a new word and this promise of God will be fulfilled. What is that
word of hope? God will raise up a descendant of David the King, who will
deliver the people. He will do what is right and just. Where those in the past
were not faithful to the covenant, this savior will be, teaching us how to
likewise be faithful.
When
will this happen? There will be a time of security and peace in Judea. Jeremiah
was urging the people to once more look forward to the fulfillment of God’s
promise. Jeremiah himself was looking forward to the coming of the Christ in
time.
Just
as that promise of God has been fulfilled in the coming of Jesus, we are called
to look forward to the fulfillment of God’s promises in our life time. To do
this we need to put our trust and hope and life in God. What we are called to
be attentive to is Jesus’ coming in the present moment, which is his coming in
mystery. In this way we will be prepared for his second coming either at the
end of our personal life or the end of the world. This will be his coming in
majesty.
Reading
2: Our response to the prophetic promise of God fulfilled in the person of Jesus
is twofold. First we are called to increase and abound in love for one another
so that we may be blameless in holiness before God. Secondly, we are called to
conduct ourselves in a way that pleases God. In both we are told never to be
satisfied that we have done enough but ask God for the grace to do more.
Why? Our focus is to be ready for the coming of Jesus
in the present moment and in the end. For what we do in our relatively short
life-time will impact our eternity. To love one another even more and to do what
pleases God the more are really complimentary.
Gospel:
Last Sunday we read the vision of Daniel in the Old Testament and the vision of
John the Apostle in the Book of Revelation. Both saw the Son of Man coming on
clouds with power and authority. In today’s Gospel, Jesus speaks of the same
image: the Son of Man coming on a cloud with power and glory.
Jesus
has come in time and he will come again. When he comes again, will we be
frightened or will we be joyful? When he comes in the present moment or in a
future time will we be expectant or caught off guard? What is the attitude that
Jesus urges us to have? “But when these signs begin to happen, stand erect and
raise your heads because your redemption is at hand.” That is the first. The
second is: “Be vigilant at all times and pray that you have the strength to
escape the tribulations that are imminent and to stand before the Son of Man.”
The
best way to prepare for that moment is to learn from the past and live in
relationship to God in the present moment. For if I am in union with God in the
present moment, then, when that future moment comes, it will find me ready and
not afraid.
We
are called to live each moment as if it is our last moment, so that, when that
last moment of earthly life comes, we are in union with God.
Advent
means “coming”. Each year we are given a new opportunity to make a new
beginning. It is a grace time. As we prepare to celebrate his first coming in
time, we need to be attentive to his coming in the present moment, so that when
he comes in majesty we are prepared to receive him and he us.
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