The First Sunday of Advent

The first Sunday of Advent marks the beginning of a new liturgical year.  It is interesting to note how the liturgical year ends with the theme of the Second Coming, while at the same time, the new liturgical year also focuses on the same theme. Since we are about to celebrate Christmas, we would suppose that the new liturgical year would begin chronologically with a reflection on the Incarnation.  However, that is not the case. The reason why the liturgical year ends and begins with the same theme is clear: if we have already embraced Jesus in his first coming, we will have no fear of his glorious return. 

It is also interesting to note that the new liturgical year begins with a penitential season; i.e. the season of Advent.  The priest and deacon now use purple colored vestments.  As the world around us prepares for Christmas with an ever increasing emphasis on material things, the Church directs our gaze toward the spiritual. 

The liturgical calendar begins differently from the secular calendar precisely because the Church, while in the world, is not of the world.  Advent is a penitential season because Christmas is about our personal relationship with Jesus Christ, not about external celebrations.

“God is faithful, and by him you were called to fellowship with his Son, Jesus Christ our Lord” (1 Corinthians 1: 9).

Advent, as a penitential season, prepares us to celebrate the anniversary of the Lord's first coming as the incarnate God of love.  As a penitential time, Advent helps us to examine the condition of our soul which is an abode of the Lord's presence through sanctifying grace.  Advent helps us prepare for the Lord's second coming as judge which takes place first at death and then again at the end of the world.  If we are already living out our discipleship with Jesus, we will be ready for his second coming.

“Be watchful!  Be alert!  You do not know when the time will come” (Mark 13: 33). 

As disciples of the Lord we have so many ways to become distracted and lose our focus. The commercialization of Christmas can become a terrible distraction for those who really desire to celebrate Christmas correctly.  We can give in to the temptations of materialism.  We can lose the intensity of our spiritual life. We can become spiritually lazy by being satisfied with being "good people" rather than striving for sanctity.

Advent is a time to wake up. “May he not come suddenly and find you sleeping” (Mark 13: 36). 

Most of the world did not notice Jesus' first coming.  We need to stay awake and notice how he comes to us each day.  The daily circumstances of our lives provide so many opportunities for us to serve one another. 

Once upon a time, there was a man who looked upon Christmas as a lot of humbug. He wasn't a scrooge. He was a kind and decent person, generous to his family, upright in all his dealings with other men. But he did not believe in the mystery of the Incarnation.

"I am truly sorry to distress you," he told his wife, who was a faithful churchgoer. "But I simply cannot understand this claim that God became man. It doesn't make any sense to me." On Christmas Eve, his wife and children went to church. He declined to accompany them. "I'd feel like a hypocrite," he explained. "I'd rather stay at home. But I will wait up for you."

Shortly after his family drove away in the car, snow began to fall. He went to the window and watched the flurries getting heavier and heavier. "If we must have Christmas," he thought, "It's nice to have a white one." He went back to his chair by the fireside and began to read his newspaper. A few minutes later, he was startled by a thudding sound. It was quickly followed by another, then another. He thought that someone must be throwing snowballs at his living room window.

When he went to the front door to investigate, he found a flock of birds huddled miserably in the snow. They had been caught in the storm, and in a desperate search for shelter, had tried to fly through his window.

"I cannot let these poor creatures lie there and freeze," he thought. "But how can I help them?" Then he remembered the barn where the children's pony was stabled.  It would provide a warm shelter. He put on his coat and boots, and tramped through the deepening snow to the barn. He opened the doors wide and turned on a light. But the birds did not come in. "Food will bring them in," he thought. So he hurried back to the house for bread crumbs, which he sprinkled on the snow to make a trail into the barn.

To his dismay, the birds ignored the bread crumbs and continued to flop around helplessly in the snow. He tried shoeing them in the barn by walking around and waving his arms. They scattered in every direction--except into the warm, lighted barn. "They find me a strange and terrifying creature," he said to himself. "And I cannot seem to think of any way to let them know they can trust me. If only I could be a bird myself for a few minutes, perhaps I could lead them to safety..."

Just at that moment, the church bells began to ring. He stood silently for a while, listening to the bells pealing the glad tidings of Christmas. Then he sank to his knees in the snow. "Now I do understand," he whispered. "Now I know why you had to do it."

The Advent season gives us a fresh opportunity to look at our lives and deepen our relationship with the Lord Jesus who has come already in humility and will come again in glory.  “No ear has ever heard, no eye ever seen, any God but you doing such deeds for those who wait for him” (Isaiah 64: 4).

The Solemnity of Christ the King

God wants you to be happy and overflowing with joy. He wants you to fulfill your destiny and purpose in life by reaching eternal life in heaven. He is so interested in you that he sent his only begotten Son to save you from sin. Remember, God's love for you is unconditional.

Think about this for a moment: God's love for you is unconditional.

In reality, Christianity is a love story: God loves you unconditionally and he calls you to love him unconditionally.

Up until the time of the first Christmas when Jesus was born in Bethlehem, the road to salvation was rather confusing. But now, with the coming of Jesus, the way that leads to eternal life is clear.

Jesus is the way, the truth, and the life.

In this Sunday's gospel passage Jesus tells us exactly what we need to do to enter into the glory of heaven: feed the hungry, give drink to the thirsty, welcome the stranger, clothe the naked, care for the sick and visit those who are in prison.

Christianity is very practical and it is to be lived within the ordinary circumstances of every day life.

Too many times we might fall into the trap that Christianity is lived out only in the special moments, like when you see someone in need on the side of the street, or when there are natural disasters. But, we can only respond to those special moments if we are living the gospel each and every day, and in a very practical and concrete manner.

We are called to love. This is the meaning of our lives. Every act of service, every act of kindness, every act of self giving must be seen as an act of love.

And who do we love? "Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brethren, you did it to me" (Matthew 25: 40).

Before his conversion, Francis of Assisi was riding his horse through the countryside. Suddenly he came upon a leper. Despite the ugliness of the terrible disease, Francis was so moved with pity, that he jumped off of his horse and flung his arms around the unfortunate man. As Francis looked at the leper, the man's face changed and it appeared as the face of Jesus.

Is Christianity really possible? Yes, of course it is. We need to show the world that love is possible and that we believe in love.

I think one of the greatest acts of charity that you can do when you get up in the morning, or when you go to work, or to school, or to church, or even when you do your shopping, is to do something so simple: just smile and say hello to people. Show everyone that you are a living member of the kingdom. Yes, you are a member of a beautiful kingdom, a kingdom that God has prepared for you "from the foundation of the world" (Matthew 25: 34).

The kingdom that we belong to is "a kingdom of truth and life, a kingdom of holiness and grace, a kingdom of justice, love, and peace" (Preface).
 

Show everyone that you are happy to be a follower of Jesus Christ. Let everyone know that you are excited about the Kingdom of Christ.

Selfishness can be our biggest obstacle from truly experiencing the exuberant joy of Christianity. We need to forget ourselves completely. The Second Vatican Council said, "It follows, then, that if human beings are the only creatures on earth that God has wanted for their own sake, they can fully discover their true selves only in sincere self-giving (Gaudium et Spes, 24).

Blessed Pope John Paul II echoed these words when he said, "Man cannot live without love. He remains a being that is incomprehensible for himself, his life is senseless, if love is not revealed to him, if he does not encounter love, if he does not experience it and make it his own, if he does not participate intimately in it" (Redemptor Hominis, 10.1)

This Sunday's gospel narrative also teaches us that sins are not only the bad things that we do, but that sin also consists of those things that we should have done. This type of sin is called sin of omission.

Then he will say to those at his left hand, "Depart from me, you cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels; for I was hungry and you gave me no food, I was thirsty and you gave me no drink, I was a stranger and you did not welcome me, naked and you did not clothe me, sick and in prison and you did not visit me" (Matthew 25: 41-43).

Selfishness, when it is deeply rooted in our souls, prevents us from loving the way we should. It keeps us from being aware of the needs of others.

Blessed Mother Teresa certainly showed the modern world how to love. She once said, "What I can do, you cannot. What you can do, I cannot. But together we can do something beautiful for God. Yes, you must live life beautifully and not allow the spirit of the world that makes gods out of power, riches and pleasure make you to forget that you have been created for greater things – to love and to be loved."

Always Ready

As we considered last week, on November 20, another liturgical year will come to an end with the solemn celebration of the Feast of Christ the King. 

As the liturgical year ends, the flow of the Catholic liturgy focuses on the theme of the Second Coming.

The eschatological teachings of Jesus are very clear throughout the Gospels.  We pronounce our certainty of eternal life each time we pray together the Profession of Faith. "We look for the resurrection of the dead and the life of the world to come".  The particular judgment, heaven, purgatory, hell, the last judgment, and the hope of a new heaven and a new earth are the components of this fundamental teaching of Christianity. 

Many times our culture avoids consideration of death.  Many attempt to avoid the fullness of the eschatological teachings of the Gospels.  There is a Heaven. However, it is also equally true that there is a Purgatory and that there is a Hell.

Someday, as yet unknown to us, this life will come to an end and God will judge us according to our deeds.  "For you yourselves know very well that the day of the Lord will come like a thief at night.  Therefore, let us not sleep as the rest do, but let us stay alert and sober" (1 Thessalonians 5: 2, 7).

We need to be ready.  This is the theme of the Catholic liturgy as we approach the celebration of the Feast of Christ the King.

It is interesting to note how the liturgical year ends with the theme of the Second Coming, while at the same time, the new liturgical year also focuses on the same theme.

One would think that the new liturgical year would begin with a reflection on the Incarnation.  Nevertheless, the reason why the liturgical year ends and begins with the same theme is clear: if we have already embraced Jesus in his first coming, we will have no fear of his second coming.

What does it mean to be a true disciple of Jesus? 

Since a disciple is a student and a follower, each disciple must be a good listener.  Listeners are open and attentive. The true disciple will be eager to listen, to discover, and to understand.  The message will never be subject to critical analysis.  Instead, true disciples approach the wellspring of truth seeking to satiate a profound desire for happiness, transcendence and peace.

For true disciples know that only then will they find freedom in the truth. 

True discipleship requires perseverance.  The journey is long and obstacles abound.  True disciples will overcome discouragement and continue along the narrow road that leads to eternal life. Perseverance demands that as true disciples, we embark upon new beginnings. 

Courage is a third quality of authentic discipleship.  Disciples will not be able to simply contain the message.  The acquisition of truth will compel them to spread it to others. Moreover, they will always encounter challenges when they preach the truth to others.  Some will welcome it; many will reject it. 

Another characteristic of true discipleship is selflessness.  True disciples are consumed with love for someone much greater than they are.  When witnessing, these disciples do not draw attention to themselves nor do they preach their own message.  Empty of self, they are filled with the presence of the God who has called them by name.

Authentic disciples, while they struggle with their own sins and weaknesses, are nevertheless faithful stewards and messengers because their hope has been placed in the one who has called them.

Finally, another characteristic of the authentic disciple of Christ is passionate love.  Passionate love for Jesus allows the first disciples to leave everything behind immediately.  Because of their personal encounter with the Lord, they will never be the same.  Their lives have changed forever.  Discipleship is having a personal relationship with Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior.

This Sunday's gospel passage illustrates that we need to use and develop the gifts that God gives to us.  We will be judged on how well we accomplish this task.  God is the giver of all of the gifts that we posses. 

Although everyone has a different amount of gifts, everyone is called to implement the use of the gifts no matter how many or few they may be. 

When we use and develop the gifts that God gives to us, he gives us more gifts and calls us to higher tasks. 

Sloth, a capital sin, is totally incompatible with Christianity.

The reality of the Second Coming of Jesus does not permit us to be less concerned about our temporal duties.  Moreover, the trials of our times do not excuse the Christian to simply give up and retreat as if the Second Coming were imminent. 

Quoting Gaudium et Spes, one of the pinnacle documents of the Second Vatican Council, the Catechism of the Catholic Church states: "Far from diminishing our concern to develop this earth, the expectancy of a new earth should spur us on, for it is here that the body of a new human family grows, foreshadowing in some way the age which is to come. That is why, although we must be careful to distinguish earthly progress clearly from the increase of the kingdom of Christ, such progress is of vital concern to the kingdom of God, insofar as it can contribute to the better ordering of human society."

As I explained clearly in my book Get Serious! – A Survival Guide for Serious Catholics, the laity are called to sanctify the temporal order. 

The primary involvement of the laity is not liturgical.

The temporal order is everything that exists outside of the parish church.  By their good works and their apostolic activity, the laity are called, through the Sacrament of Baptism, to bring Christ to the world.

As living members of the Church we must always be on fire for the Lord.  

The remedy for laziness or pessimism is to sit down with a sheet of paper and a pen.  Make a list of all of the wonderful gifts that God has given to you, thank him for these gifts and get to work. 

There is much to be done for the Kingdom!

Are You Ready?

On November 20, another liturgical year will come to an end with the Solemnity of Christ the King.  As the liturgical year ends, it is interesting to note how the flow of the Catholic liturgy focuses on the theme of the Second Coming.

The eschatological teachings of Jesus are very clear throughout the Gospels.  We pronounce our certainty of eternal life each time we pray together the Profession of Faith. “…I look forward to the resurrection of the dead and the life of the world to come.”

The Judgment, Heaven, Purgatory, Hell, The Second Coming and the hope of a new Heaven and a new earth are the components of this fundamental teaching of Christianity.

Many times our contemporary culture avoids consideration of death.

Many who are called to preach the word of God avoid the fullness of the eschatological teachings in their preaching because of a fear of contemporary sensitivities.

When we avoid teachings on Hell, Purgatory and Judgment, we are short changing the people by denying them the fullness of the truth.

Someday, as yet unknown to us, this life will come to an end and God will judge us according to our deeds. “For the Lord himself will descend from heaven with a cry of command, with the archangel's call, and with the sound of the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first; then we who are alive, who are left, shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air; and so we shall always be with the Lord” (1 Thessalonians 4: 16-17).

We need to be ready.

This is the theme of the Catholic liturgy as we approach the celebration of the Solemnity of Christ the King.

Jesus was an amazing story teller who used the circumstances of his day to explain the truths of eternal life.  The wedding customs of the Jewish people during the time of Jesus, which still exist today, are very different from anything that we are used to.

Unlike our own traditions, where weddings are organized with detailed precision, the Jewish wedding of the Holy Land hinges on expectation rather than certainties.  The maidens accompany the bride, and the groom presents himself at any given moment.  He can show up during the day or even at night. No one knows when he will come.

Moreover, when a Jewish couple marries in the Holy Land, they do not go away for a honeymoon.  Instead, they stay in their home for a week and sponsor an open house for their family and friends who are the invited guests.

Expectation, rather than certainty: this is precisely the message of the parable.  This life will end and a new life will begin unannounced, at any given moment.  Thus, we need to be ready.

Vigilance is a vital part of our journey toward eternity because of the ease with which attitudes of the world can penetrate our lives.

Decadence can be attractive to the senses and we may find it easy to succumb.  We have a responsibility to use our freedom in view of our eternal destiny. The reality of death and judgment must be a continual call to conversion.

No one knows the moment of the Second Coming; however, our times are certainly a time of trial and tribulation which distresses us all.  Vigilance allows us to be on guard against evil.  We must do all that we can to protect our relationship with God.

We need to be cautious and discerning about the movies that we watch, the television shows that appear in our living-rooms, and the false prophets that freely dissent from Church teaching.  Satan, the father of lies is very much present in our lives.

The practice of frequent Confession is a practical way to preserve a delicate conscience and receive the graces that we need to avoid any serious sin which ruptures our union with God.

Salvation is not a guarantee. St. Paul warns us to work out our salvation in fear and trembling (cf. Philippians 2: 12-18).  The grace of final perseverance is a grace, and we should ask for this gift every night before we go to bed.

However, when we consider the Second Coming of Jesus, we should not be filled with fear and anxiety.  In the Catholic Mass, after we pray together the Our Father, the priest proceeds to pray: “Deliver us Lord, we pray, from every evil, graciously grant peace in our days, that, by the help of your mercy, we may be always free from sin and safe from all distress, as we wait the blessed hope and the coming of our Savior, Jesus Christ.”

Too many people can fall into deep pessimism and even despair by viewing hours of daily news reports that only focus on the negative and sensational.

Faith and hope allow us to see God at work in our world. Faith and hope allow us to see the good things that are all around us.

God is all powerful and he continues to lead all men and women to himself.

For example, many years ago, George Bush, as Vice President, represented our country at the funeral of former Soviet leader Leonid Brezhnev.

Bush was deeply moved by a silent protest carried out by Brezhnev's widow. She stood motionless by the coffin until seconds before it was closed.  Just as the soldiers touched the lid, Brezhnev's wife performed an act of great hope. She reached down and made the sign of the cross on her husband's chest.

In one of the geographic centers of atheism, the wife of the man who had been one of its’ leaders, hoped that her husband was wrong. She hoped that there was an eternal life and that that Jesus might have mercy on her husband.

As we continue to reflect upon this Sunday’s gospel passage, some readers of the parable may think that the message is rather cruel.

The wise virgins do not give any of their oil to the foolish virgins, and once the foolish virgins return from buying more oil, the door of the wedding feast is shut and they are not allowed to enter.

This surprising part of the parable illustrates that we cannot enter Heaven on what others have amassed.  Personal holiness and fidelity are things that we must acquire for ourselves.

We cannot borrow them from others.

The door not opened to the foolish virgins shows us that life is not a dress rehearsal.  Repentance and conversion are to take place in this life.

Death marks a definitive moment in our earthly life.

It is interesting to note how the liturgical year ends with the theme of the Second Coming, while at the same time, the new liturgical year also focuses on the same theme.

If we have already embraced Jesus in his first coming, we will have no fear of his Second Coming.

The wise virgins are ready.  As the first reading tells us, wisdom gives us peace. "For taking thought of wisdom is the perfection of prudence, and whoever for her sake keeps vigil shall quickly be free from care..." (Wisdom 6: 14).

Wise men and women live in the light of eternity. Living in this manner allows us to experience the indescribable joy and hope of being alive in Christ Jesus, the Lord.  "Therefore, stay awake, for you know neither the day nor the hour" (Matthew 25: 13).