Be Vigilant at All Times

11-28-2021Weekly ReflectionFr. Anthony Okolo, C.S.Sp

Today begins the season of Advent, a new liturgical season in the Church’s calendar. A time of great preparation for the coming into history the birth of man who’s coming transformed, story of humanity. In Advent we prepare for the three-fold coming of the Lord, for the coming of Christ during Christmas, the coming of Christ every day in our lives and His final coming at the end of our lives. Advent preparation is usually divided into two parts, the first part begins from the first Sunday of Advent to December 17th in which preparation is mainly on the coming of Christ at the end of time or Parousia, and the second part which begins from December 17th to 24th in which it’s preparation is focused primarily on the coming birth of Christ at Christmas. The key word at each of the preparation periods is readiness or hopeful waiting to welcome the Lord at each time He comes.

Advent is a special time of waiting in hope for the arrival of one whose light pierces the darkness of evil, sin and injustice that pervades the world. To wait in patient hope requires us to look forward that His coming would be fulfilled in our lives. The first reading from the prophecy of Jeremiah announces the divine promises of God. These divine promises include: to raise up for David a just one who will do the right and just thing in the land. The land would be safe and Jerusalem would be secured. The coming of Jesus is a realization of the Divine promises. These divine promises would be fulfilled in our own lives too where we would be secured and safe under the mantle of Jesus. The most amazing aspect of this prophecy is that it came at a very critical moment in the history of Israelites as Judah became the only remaining Israelite’s kingdom standing. The other kingdoms have all fallen to the Babylonians and Judah is under severe attack from all sides, yet Jeremiah tells the people to be confident of the future that God is planning for Judah and send someone who would put things right. It is a call to remain hopeful at all times, despite how ugly the situation may look. This is the central message of Advent as we prepare for the coming of Jesus.

In the second reading Paul exhorts the Thessalonians to abound in love for each other and be blameless in holiness before God as they strive to please God by their conduct. These injunctions are very apt as we wait in hope during this season of advent as true evidence of our active wait for the coming of the Lord at the end of time, during Christmas and every day of our lives is a life of holiness.

Luke in his gospel enunciates the signs that would accompany the end of the time. Some of these signs include the moon, and the stars and all the nations will be in dismay, people will die of fright in anticipation of what is coming upon the world for the powers of the heavens will be shaken. However, despite all these terrible and distressing signs Jesus makes a very strong statement to his disciples “But when all these signs begin to happen, stand erect and raise your head because your redemption is at hand”. The call to raise one’s head in the midst of all these signs of depressing situations is a call not to be afraid because our redeemer Jesus is stronger and more powerful than any of the forces. What is important is that we live our daily lives in His presence by acts of love. It then calls us to remain steadfast in faith knowing that He is in charge. He will liberate us from the fear of what is to come. The seasons of Advent encourages us to be filled with hope notwithstanding the challenging signs we may be experiencing in the world today. They may seem to suggest that the world is coming to an end, but Jesus says to us not to panic or be afraid because He is beyond all these happening. The central message Luke presents to us on this first Sunday of Advent is to look beyond the happening of this present world and be more focused on Him. That is the reason He says stand erect and raise your head because your redemption is at hand.