ADVENT 1
November 29, 2009
Jer 33:14-16
Ps 25:4-5, 8-9, 10, 14
1 Thes 3:12-4:2
Lk 21:25-28, 34-36
Could you believe early Friday morning? At 7AM in the morning the mall parking lots were full. It looked like parking for a football or basketball game as cars lined up waiting for the next parking spot to open up. It reminded me how much I hate waiting in long lines.
Waiting is something that is difficult for many of us. Whether it’s waiting in the long lines at the stores, waiting in the doctor’s office reading endless volumes of Popular Mechanic and Good Housekeeping, or waiting in a long line of traffic caused by road construction. Waiting is difficult for many of us. It tests our patience.
As we begin this Advent season, the beginning of the Church year, we are in a time that is all about waiting. In fact, Advent comes from the Latin word adventus, which means, “to come” So, what are we waiting for? Whose coming do we await?
Christmas Wreaths, Carols, and trees remind us that we are preparing for and awaiting the celebration of Christmas, a time to recall Christ’s birth in Bethlehem 2000 years ago. Each time we pray the Creed we bow as we recall Christ’s birth, His 1st coming, Christ’s becoming one of us. “By the power of the Holy Spirit He was born of the Virgin Mary and became human.”
Our readings this weekend remind us of the prayer of the Mass, “Christ has died, Christ is risen, Christ will come again.” After the Our Father we pray, “we wait in joyful hope for the coming of our Savior Jesus Christ.” Advent is a time when we look backwards to the coming of Christ 2000 years ago and forward to the coming of Christ in glory at the end of time, the end of our lives.
So, in the meantime, what are we to do?
Wait…prepare…be ready.
St. Paul reminds us this day that our waiting should not be a boring kind of waiting, not a twiddling of our thumbs or a skimming through back issues of Good Housekeeping. We are encouraged by St. Paul to make the best of the time, of each day given us by God. He desires that we increase and abound in holiness and love for one another.
As children make out their Christmas wish lists of what toys, gifts, and presents they hope to find under the tree Christmas day, perhaps this year we should make an Advent wish list. Such a list might contain ways that we wish to share our love with one another, ways that we can prepare for the coming of Christ, ways that we can grow in holiness as we long for Christ’s coming into our hearts, as we fan the flame for a deeper love of God and our brothers and sisters in Christ. Among other things, it would include time to retreat (to get away), some additional time to pray, and celebration of sacrament of Reconciliation. Such a list could be placed next to your Advent Wreath and as the candle is lit each day, the list could be read and we can ask ourselves, “How have I lived out these Advent wishes this day?”
My sisters and brothers, as we begin this journey of Advent remembering Christ’s coming among us 2000 years ago, looking forward to Christ’s second coming at the end of time, let us take to heart the words we hear in today’s Gospel. Let us stand tall and hold our heads high for the Kingdom of God is at hand. May this season of Advent prepare our hearts for Christ’s coming, for as he came into the world 2000 years ago Christ comes to us this day as we receive Him, His Body and Blood. Let us pray that these may be weeks of waiting, of preparing our hearts, for the gift of Christ who unites us together as His Body. With hearts enflamed may we share the gift of Christ we have received with the entire world.
“As we await you, O God of silence, we embrace your holy night.”