FIRST SUNDAY OF ADVENT (C)

MARANATHA - COME LORD JESUS, COME!

Happy New Year! Today is the first Sunday of the new Church year. Last Sunday, Christ the King was the last Sunday of the past Church year. The first Sunday of the new Church year is always the First Sunday of Advent.

There are four Sundays of Advent. They are to prepare us for the celebration of Christmas, which is the second most important feast of the year. The most important feast is Easter.

Advent means coming. We often think of this coming as the coming of Christ as man, that is, his birth in Bethlehem. Hence, the connection of Advent with Christmas. But Advent also includes two other “comings” of Christ: first, his coming at the end of time and second, his coming to us in our daily life. His coming at the end of time is the theme of the first part of the Advent season. In fact, Christ declares in the gospel: “And then they will see the Son of Man coming in a cloud with power and great glory.” This expectation of the second coming is embodied in the early Christian prayer: “Maranatha. Come, Lord Jesus, come!”

THE FUTURE

Keeping one’s eyes on the future is a wise decision. Stephen Covey who wrote the book, Seven Habits of Highly Effective People, had this in mind when he said: “Begin with the end in mind.” Keeping our eyes fixed on the future gives our life some direction.

For example, Jesus counsels us not to be taken by surprise by his second coming at the end of time. By keeping in mind his second coming, my effort to store up treasure in heaven becomes meaningful. This means that living according to spiritual values makes sense. Why? Because doing so will enable me to face Christ with confidence and not fear who will instruct his angels to gather the elect from the four corners of the earth.

Another example. In the future I may want to have a business of my own. This desired future gives direction to my life. This means that I will have to take the steps that will bring me to that desired future. The other side of the coin is to give up those steps that may not bring me to that desired future. One step that I might take is to enroll in a course in entrepreneurship. On the other hand, a step that I should avoid is being a spendthrift (wasteful with money). I need to build my capital to start my business.

THE PAST

Advent is not only about the future coming of Christ but also about his coming in the past, his becoming a man and his birth in Bethlehem in order to save his people from their sins. Recognizing the reason behind the birth of Christ as man, the only possible grateful response to him is repentance and conversion. That is why confession takes on great importance during the Advent season.

Looking at my past is also helpful in making me live my present in a better way. For instance, I might be experiencing lack of peace. Looking at my past, I might discover that someone had treated me badly. My response was to hold a grudge against that person and to look for the opportunity to take revenge. This was the reason why I lack peace in my heart. In order to restore peace in my heart, I might decide to let go of the grudge.

CONCLUSION

Someone had said: “The past is no more. The future is yet to come. The present is the only thing you have.” These words are not meant to devalue the past and the future. We have seen that the future and the past are important. Instead, those words are meant to tell us that among the past, present and future, the present is the most important.

The response of repentance and conversion to the offer of forgiveness by Christ has to be done now, in the present, and not in the future.

If I want to be happy in the present, I may have to stop worrying about the future. I may also have to let go of the hurts and the anger that have come from the past.

Heaven and the second coming may be a long way off in the future. But if I want to get to heaven, then I have to make sure that the steps I take now will bring me to heaven.

The achievement of my dreams will happen in the future. But again unless I take the steps in the present that will lead me to the fulfillment of my dreams, my dreams will remain only dreams forever.