Nov. 28, 2021: 1st Sunday Advent C
Nov. 28, 2021: 1st Sunday Advent C
This is the time of the year when a parishioner I know brings out from the attic storage an old advent candle wreath. That wreath has been waiting, waiting to be adorned with greenery and candles. She cleans off a year’s worth of dust, scrapes off dripped wax from last year’s candles, and installs a fresh set of candles. She still has little grandchildren who are curious about this tradition, so it’s an anticipated time of the year for her grandchildren.
Have you brought out your Advent wreath and candles for your family this weekend? How would you answer when your child or grandchild asks, “Why do we light four candles?” Here is a reply that you can use with your family: “The first candle reminds us of the hope that the people had in one who would bring peace and love to the world. The second candle reminds us of the dark night when Joseph and Mary found light and warmth in the stable. The third candle reminds us of the great light and joy which surrounded the shepherds at the announcement of Jesus’ birth. The fourth candle reminds us of the light of the stars in the sky which guided the wisemen to Jesus and which keeps watch over us by night.”
While the rest of the world wants to fast forward the next four weeks, we the people of faith wait, yearning for God to reshape and prepare our hearts to truly understand the meaning of the hymn, “O come, O come, Emmanuel, and ransom captive Israel, that mourns in lonely exile here, until the Son of God appear… O come, Thou Rod of Jesse, free thine own from Satan's tyranny; from depths of hell Thy people save, and give them victory o'er the grave. Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel, shall come to thee, O Israel.”
In a real sense, we are people still in exile who suffer from the tyranny of Satan. When we look around with the eyes of our faith, our community and our world desperately seek peace. Are you as shocked as I when you notice lack of patience in grocery stores, in traffic, and in restaurants? Are you surprised at the lack of courtesy, respect, and kindness we show one another both in person and online? We can palpably sense that people have experienced numerous disappointments, setbacks, and irritations. We see around us hurting people who struggle with pride, anger, lust, gluttony, envy, sloth, and greed. While people have coexisted with tensions of different opinions, there is a lack of respect for each others’ differences; the divisive lines are now jagged and offensive. We yearn for a better world, and this is why we are so glad to hear the readings of the First Sunday of Advent.
Our Lord said to his disciples to prepare, be vigilant, and be a people of hope for the time of his coming is at hand. This is good news, for Christ will come as the glorious Son of Man in his second coming to liberate humanity from fear and menace. The season of Advent encourages us to ponder the three fold meaning of Christ’s coming - Jesus came, Jesus comes, and Jesus will come again. 2,000 years ago he came among us as a tiny child in Bethlehem. This baby grew up to fulfill God’s promise through his death and resurrection. Now he comes to us daily through his living presence in the Words of Sacred Scriptures, in his living body and blood in the Eucharist, and in the Holy Spirit who dwells in our hearts. He promised further that he will come again in an unexpected time accompanied by imminent signs of tribulations, distress, and cosmic upheaval.
While we wait for his second coming, we are to spend our earthly time wisely. Our hearts are meant to be a place where God chooses to dwell in us and speak to us. It is hard to feel God’s presence within us when we are preoccupied with being busy, and being busy doesn’t necessarily lead to a healthy, holy life. Finding time to be alone with God is not easy because our inner world is weighed down with overwhelming anxiety and sadness. We lose focus of what is really important in life, that is our relationship with God. When we properly use this time, as St. Paul said to the Thessalonian community, the Lord will strengthen us to increase and abound in love for God and one another.
The Advent season is a holy season. The purple color of this season reminds us that like Lent, we are to spend the next four weeks pondering, staying awake, praying, fasting, and performing acts of charity. This is not the time to waste our lives running after things that have little or no value for our life with God. We are people who are awaiting for something more precious than memories that get stored in the attic, closet, or forgotten over time; we are awaiting our salvation! As we light the first candle of the Advent period let our lives be set afire with enduring hope and expectation for the coming of our Lord Jesus in our hearts.
