2021-11-29 - COME LORD JESUS!!! A reflection for the First Sunday of Advent Year C Author: Rev. Fr. Donatus Okeke
Readings:1st: Jeremiah 33:14-16; 2nd: 1 Thessalonians 3:12-4:2;Gospel: Luke 21:25-28.34-36
Happy New Year, my Beloved Friends in Christ!!!
Today, we begin a new liturgical year of the Church – Year (C) for the Sundays and Cycle (II) for the weekdays. And with this, we enter into the liturgical season of Advent. It originates from the Latin word ‘Adventus’ which means ‘coming’. For Christians, it is a period of great expectation for the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. The season of Advent has four Sundays. Advent begins from the Sunday nearest to the feast of St. Andrew (30th November). The season is divided into two parts: The First part lasts till 16th December, and the second part lasts from 17th – 24th December. The first two Sundays of Advent look forward to the Second coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, while the last two Sundays look backward to remember his nativity- Christmas. The liturgical colour for the season is purple – the traditional mourning colour. The Gloria is omitted. The playing of musical instruments and the decoration of the altar with flowers should be done with moderation.
The readings of today, highlight the central concern of Advent – the coming of Jesus Christ. In these readings, we also identify our supposed attitude/conditions for the season.
In the first reading, God through the Prophet Jeremiah, promises to raise a kingdom of justice from the linage of David. This reading points more to the first coming of Jesus Christ as the savior. From this reading, our attitude, as we expect the fulfillment of the promises of God (coming of Jesus Christ) is hope. It is the theological virtue that sustains our expectations. Without hope, we can never survive. For me, a hopeless situation is just like a dead situation. Jeremiah did not witness the reign of David, but he witnessed the reign of his descendants. He witnessed the destruction of the reign of Davidic dynasty. Also, he witnessed the destruction of Jerusalem. Yet, he was still hopeful that after all these destructions, that God’s promises will still come to pass. As Christians, amidst all our present tribulations and challenges, let us not allow our hope to die. We hope for a better future.
St. Paul in the second reading admonishes the Thessalonians on the importance of living in constant expectation of the coming our Lord Jesus Christ. The First Letter of St. Paul to the Thessalonians is taken to be the first letter of the New Testament. The Thessalonians thought that Paul’s teachings on the second coming of Christ was Paul’s fabrication. Paul in this letter had to write to them on the nearness of the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. This reading points more to the coming of Jesus Christ daily as the Lord of our lives.From this reading, our attitude as we expect the daily coming of Jesus Christ is holiness of life through love
Today’s Gospel is St. Luke’s version of the Mark’s Gospel (Mark 13:24-32) we read last two Sundays (33rd Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year B). Jesus talks of the end time and the many signs that will accompany it. This reading points more to the second coming of Jesus Christ as the judge of the world. From this reading, our attitude as we expect the second coming of Jesus Christ is watchfulness and Prayer.
Beloved in Christ, it is another season of great expectation - Advent. As we expect, we must have to prepare. Let us erase whatever that will make us unfit to receive Jesus Christ. The preparation we make in this Advent; to recall the nativity of Christ (Christmas), will show how prepared we are for the coming of Christ daily in our lives and his eventual second coming in power and great glory.
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