Dec. 2nd, 2007: First Sunday of Advent (A)
I told those who were at the vigil mass of Thanksgiving that I was going to be with my family in Dallas and was going to wake up early and stand in a line at Best Buy on Black Friday. Well, I did wake up at 5AM, but I had a dilemma. Usually I dedicate very first part of my waking hours to prayer; my motto is ‘put God first and the rest will follow.’ Well, this past Black Friday morning, I had to wrestle between prayer to Jesus versus a $150 camcorder. Thankfully, I chose prayer. I drove by Best Buy at 6:30 AM, and there were no parking spots left. Inside, there were people all over the place running around in madness. I heard in the news later that some people waited the entire Thanksgiving Day outside Best Buy.
This goes to show that people have remarkable ability to sacrifice sleep and stay awake to accomplish a goal. How long people are willing to sacrifice sleep and stay awake depends on the goal. This Black Friday, one of the most sought after item was a video game machine called, “Nintendo Wii.” One of our parishioners told me that he was out waiting in line at 2AM outside a toy store. When the store opened at 5AM, the manager walked outside and told all the parents waiting in line that they were sold out of Ninendo Wii two days ago.
The question is, “Are we willing to go that far for our spiritual welfare”? Our Lord tells us in the Gospel today, “Stay awake! For you do no know on which day your Lord will come.” “You must be prepared,” he says. If all of us have the capability to sacrifice sleep to be waiting in line at 2 AM in the morning, then all of us have the capability to make sacrifices to be spiritually ready for Our Lord. What’s at stake is our soul which is more precious and irreplaceable than a $150 camcorder or a $250 Nintendo Wii.
Few years ago, seminarians at the Notre Dame Seminary learned that one of the Lafayette seminarians had a motorcycle accident. He had a severe head trauma and was in coma. That very night, the seminarians organized an all-night prayer vigil with the Blessed Sacrament exposed. That seminarian’s recovery was nothing less than miraculous. This past June, he was ordained as a priest for the Lafayette diocese.
Can’t we do the same for a family member or a friend who is facing a challenge? Staying awake, making spiritual sacrifices on their behalf? Can’t we do the same for ourselves, asking, “Come Lord Jesus. Prepare my heart so that I can worthily receive you in the manger of my heart.”
St. Paul tells us, “You know the time; it is the hour now for you to awake from sleep. For our salvation is nearer now than when we first believed…Let us then throw off the works of darkness and put on the armor of light; let us conduct ourselves properly as in the day, not in orgies and drunkenness, not in promiscuity and lust, not in rivalry and jealousy. But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the desires of the flesh.”
I know on January 1st, many of us make New Year’s resolutions. Well today is the First Sunday of Advent, the ‘new year’s day’ for a new liturgical year. How about making a spiritual New Year’s resolution? How about making a commitment to stay awake spiritually and prepare ourselves for Our Lord’s arrival, ready to answer His unique mission for each of us this New Year?
This goes to show that people have remarkable ability to sacrifice sleep and stay awake to accomplish a goal. How long people are willing to sacrifice sleep and stay awake depends on the goal. This Black Friday, one of the most sought after item was a video game machine called, “Nintendo Wii.” One of our parishioners told me that he was out waiting in line at 2AM outside a toy store. When the store opened at 5AM, the manager walked outside and told all the parents waiting in line that they were sold out of Ninendo Wii two days ago.
The question is, “Are we willing to go that far for our spiritual welfare”? Our Lord tells us in the Gospel today, “Stay awake! For you do no know on which day your Lord will come.” “You must be prepared,” he says. If all of us have the capability to sacrifice sleep to be waiting in line at 2 AM in the morning, then all of us have the capability to make sacrifices to be spiritually ready for Our Lord. What’s at stake is our soul which is more precious and irreplaceable than a $150 camcorder or a $250 Nintendo Wii.
Few years ago, seminarians at the Notre Dame Seminary learned that one of the Lafayette seminarians had a motorcycle accident. He had a severe head trauma and was in coma. That very night, the seminarians organized an all-night prayer vigil with the Blessed Sacrament exposed. That seminarian’s recovery was nothing less than miraculous. This past June, he was ordained as a priest for the Lafayette diocese.
Can’t we do the same for a family member or a friend who is facing a challenge? Staying awake, making spiritual sacrifices on their behalf? Can’t we do the same for ourselves, asking, “Come Lord Jesus. Prepare my heart so that I can worthily receive you in the manger of my heart.”
St. Paul tells us, “You know the time; it is the hour now for you to awake from sleep. For our salvation is nearer now than when we first believed…Let us then throw off the works of darkness and put on the armor of light; let us conduct ourselves properly as in the day, not in orgies and drunkenness, not in promiscuity and lust, not in rivalry and jealousy. But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the desires of the flesh.”
I know on January 1st, many of us make New Year’s resolutions. Well today is the First Sunday of Advent, the ‘new year’s day’ for a new liturgical year. How about making a spiritual New Year’s resolution? How about making a commitment to stay awake spiritually and prepare ourselves for Our Lord’s arrival, ready to answer His unique mission for each of us this New Year?
