Dec. 1, 2024: 1st Sunday Advent C
Advent, as someone wrote, represents God's breaking of silence. For 400 years, from the prophecies of Malachi until the coming of John the Baptist, God, in His divine silence, revealed no new prophetic word to His people. The silence was broken only through the prophetic voice of John the Baptist, as he proclaimed the Advent of God's son. But why was God silent? Was it a test of fidelity for His people? Was it punishment for humanity's disobedience to the law? Given that one thousand years is like a day in the Lord's sight, was it just a brief pause? Or was God waiting for us to respond? These questions, I realized, were not just historical or theological, but deeply personal. They echoed my own journey of faith, my struggles, and my moments of divine silence. They made me understand the significance of Advent not just as a historical event, but as a living reality in my life.
Reflecting on my high school years, I see a period of profound spiritual transformation. At that time, any mention of God or Jesus by a classmate would trigger anger and disdain in me. I was not open to such discussions. Yet, God was persistently working to soften the hardened soil of my heart, to reveal His desires for me. A spiritual writer once wrote, " In a time of darkness of faith, we shall not see Christ's radiance in our lives yet; it is still hidden in our darkness; nevertheless, we must believe that he is growing in our lives; we must believe it so firmly that we cannot help relating everything, literally everything, to this almost incredible reality."
God found his way to communicate with me through music. While I was participating in high school choir class, I had an opportunity to audition for all-district, all-region, and then Texas All-State Choir. The audition music particularly touched me. There was something about that music that was resonating with me. The lyrics read, "I thought that I had lost thee; but, behold! Thou comest to me from the horizon low, Across the fields outspread of green and gold— Fair carpet for thy feet to come and go. Whence I know not, or how to me thou art come!— Not less my spirit with calm bliss doth glow, Meeting thee only thus, in nature vague and dumb." At the All-State Choir presentation, the author of that choral piece, Rene Clausen, directed us. Between practice, I asked Mr. Clausen, "What is the meaning behind the lyrics? Why did you write this?" He paused, looked at me, and said, "The meaning and the rationale is in the lyrics. Read the lyrics, and it will be revealed to you." I wasn't satisfied with his answer. Whenever I heard that choral piece sung, the hairs on the back of my neck would stand, and something in me wanted to burst forth. Only a month ago, a chance conversation with our music director prompted me to look up that piece on the Internet. I did not know the title of the song, so I had to listen to a number of his songs. I was dumbfounded when I found the song's title and lyrics. It is called "Communion," and the lyrics were taken from poetry by George MacDonald, a pastor of a Congregationalist Church in England. God in his great merciful patience, waited for me for years to hear and understand what he wanted of me--he desired communion with me. He wanted a similar response as George MacDonald wrote in his poetry, "My soul breathes only in Thy infinite soul; I breathe, I think, I love, I live but Thee. Unworthy is my life till all divine, Till Thou see in me only what is Thine."
Our Lord spoke about noticing signs of the times. He said that we may see some frightful signs, however, we are not to cower in fear. Instead, when “these signs begin to happen, stand erect and raise your heads because your redemption is at hand.” The beautiful hymn, “Communion” was one of the many signs over my 51 years of life that God sent to remind me of his desire for a deeper relationship. Often, I was too full of myself or preoccupied with pleasant things of the world to notice these signs.
The whole aim of our existence here on earth is union with Jesus Christ, the very Source of life and who brings us to eternal life. Prompted by love, God has taken the initiative to come to us through His Son so that we may have life and have it to the full. There is a famous painting of Christ holding a lantern and knocking on a door. Curiously, there is no door knob on the side where Christ is knocking; there is only a knob on the inside. The house and the door represent our hearts. Opening the door of our hearts to his presence, love, grace, and life is the single most important thing we can do while alive on earth.
Our purpose on Earth is to avoid evil and do good. We should reject disordered love and embrace rightly ordered love. We must love God with reverence and adoration, love our neighbors with charity, and refrain from becoming attached to worldly possessions. It is important to use the things of the world, but we should not give our hearts to them. Instead, we should adore God and use the things of the world, rather than adoring created beings and using God. As we grow in our love for God and His family, we become who we were meant to be—saints.
Advent is an invitation to allow Christ to be formed within us, just as God was physically formed in the Blessed Mother. She recently shared with us in Medjugorje, "Dear children, during this time of grace and expectation, I wish to call you to prayer; let Advent be a time for family prayer. In a special way, I tenderly embrace the little children, encouraging you to pray for peace in the world—so that peace may prevail over conflict and hatred." This is a time to grow in our awareness of our need for a Savior. Let it be a time of prayer and a response to God, who is patiently waiting for us.
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Poetry From “Diary of an old soul” by George Macdonald
I thought that I had lost thee; but, behold! Thou comest to me from the horizon low, Across the fields outspread of green and gold— Fair carpet for thy feet to come and go. Whence I know not, or how to me thou art come!— Not less my spirit with calm bliss doth glow, Meeting thee only thus, in nature vague and dumb.
Thy fishes breathe but where thy waters roll; Thy birds fly but within thy airy sea; My soul breathes only in thy infinite soul; I breathe, I think, I love, I live but thee. Oh breathe, oh think,—O Love, live into me; Unworthy is my life till all divine, Till thou see in me only what is thine.
Then shall I breathe in sweetest sharing, then Think in harmonious consort with my kin; Then shall I love well all my father's men, Feel one with theirs the life my heart within. Oh brothers! sisters holy! hearts divine! Then I shall be all yours, and nothing mine— To every human heart a mother-twin.
