Year A – First Sunday of Advent

Arrivals can be interesting and exciting, especially when the situation or person expected is long awaited. The coming of a near and dear one, the expected new addition to the family, the first meeting of a long lost person, all these can be turning points in our life. Do we expect Jesus to arrive or are we just playing at make belief. The Lord has come, he comes each day into our hearts and will come again in glory on the last day. His Word invites us to expect his Advent.

Isaiah spoke this prophecy against the background of the political upheaval the Israelites were experiencing during the second half of the eight century, when the might of the Assyrians threatened the people of God. The prophet insists that Jerusalem, no matter how insignificant among the powers of the region, had been gifted by God with wisdom and insights into right living, which would help it to move into an era of peace. Isaiah has a dream of universal peace, when all people would stream to the mountain of the Lord. People would no longer hurt themselves or harm one another; there would be no war. People would be filled with the knowledge of the Lord and walk in his ways. Some believe that this would happen at his first coming, others at his final coming, while still other believed the prophet was daydreaming. It all depends on our faith to wait for God’s coming and believe that a new era is about to begin.

In the second reading from the letter to the Romans the imagery here is from getting up from sleep and facing the tasks and duties that await us. “You know the time has come, you must wake up now, your salvation is near at hand.” Night and day, darkness and light symbolize the struggle we need to go through to come to God. The first thing is to throw off our bedclothes and get dressed. Darkness can take many forms in our lives: hatred, lack of forgiveness, injustices done to another, and addictions of all kinds. We need to recognize the area of darkness and decide to do something about it. God’s grace can free us and help us to walk towards the light. Advent is a time when we can pray that we cast off the works of darkness and that our night ends.

When has the night ended?

One day a wise and learned rabbi turned to his disciples and asked: How can you tell when the night has passed and the day is on its way again? “When you see an animal in the distance and you can tell whether it is a sheep or a goat,” one replied. “When you see a tree in the distance and can tell whether it is a fig tree or a peach tree,” another replied. “When you see a person in the distance and can tell whether it is a friend or an enemy,” yet another replied. There were a number of other answers. But the rabbi was not impressed. Then his pupils pleaded with him, “Tell us what your answer is, rabbi.” And he replied as follows: “It is when you look at the face of a human being and see there the face of a brother or sister, because if you cannot do this, then no matter what time it is, for you it is still night.” Anonymous

In today’s gospel the persistent message is to stay awake and to be ready for the coming of the Lord. Matthew gives this message through three stories to warn people of the consequences of not being ready. The first addresses what happened to the people at the time of the flood. People missed the warning signs because they came suddenly, only a few were prepared and most people were so wrapped up in their everyday concerns that, unlike Noah, they failed to prepare for the impending catastrophe. It is worth noting that what people were busy with was acceptable. It was what they failed to do for which they were blameworthy. What was missing was not taking God into consideration while doing what they were busy with. Noah on the other had never become so immersed in his daily preoccupations as to forget God.

Jesus’ second story is the parable of the workers. The men were in the fields doing their outdoor work while the women were attending to home chores. No explanation is offered why one was chosen over the other. All were

busy working, which is commendable, but in each case perhaps one was too busy, not taking God’s word to heart. The third story uses a strange metaphor for God, who is compared to a thief in the night. The point being made is that in a sense Satan has control over the world. The only way to take control is to tie him securely and rob him. A thief also strikes at the least likely moment, so again vigilance is required. We cannot postpone for tomorrow what we can do today.

There is no hurry….

An old fable tells of three young devils in training as to what is best to tell people in earth for the greatest effectiveness. One said, “I’ll tell them there is no God.” The others voted that down for the reason that too many people already believe. A second said, “I’ll tell them there’s no hell.” That too, was voted down because of long-standing traditions. The third said, “I’ll tell them there is no hurry.” The fable says that that is the teaching the devil has used with great success ever since. Harold Buetow in ‘God Still Speaks: Listen!’

This Advent season is a call to wake up, to rise from the darkness and walk into the light. We are the people on whom the light of Christ shone and still shines, we must therefore strive to be the light, -the light of truth, the light of holiness, the light of justice, the light of peace, and we have to be vigilant in walking towards the light.

The Missing Lamps

In a certain mountain village in Europe several centuries ago, a nobleman wondered what legacy he should leave to his town’s people. At last he decided to build them a church. No one saw the complete plans for the church until it was finished. When the people gathered, they marvelled at its beauty and completeness. Then someone asked, “But where are the lamps? How will it be lighted?” The nobleman pointed to some brackets in the walls. Then he gave to each family a lamp, which they were to bring with them each time they came to worship. “Each time you are here the area where you are seated will be lighted,” the nobleman said. “Each time you are not here, that area will be dark. This is to remind you that whenever you fail to come to church, some part of God’s house will be dark.” Author Unknown

Come Lord Jesus come, and be my light!