Reflection from Isaiah
63: 16-17; 64: 1, 4-8; 1Cor 1, 3-9; Mk 13: 33-37
We
have started a new season in the liturgy of the church called Advent. This time
motivates our hope in the expectation of the second coming of the Lord in the
end of the ages and recalls his first coming, preparing us to celebrate his birthday
on Christmas. The liturgy of this season is invitation to watchfulness in order
to recognise and welcome the signs of the presence of the Lord in our daily
reality. It is invitation also to thanksgiving because the Lord is always
coming to meet us, offering his salvation. All great events need good and intense
preparation to be celebrated well. Like this is the Advent as preparation to
the great event of Christmas.
In
the first reading today, the prophet Isaiah makes an enthusiastic prayer,
recognising the constant presence of God as Father rescuing the life of his
people, and the infidelities of this people to the Covenant. The constant resistances against the divine
appeals make the people to feel themselves abandoned and very far from God. The
prayer of the prophet is consolation and motivation to revive the hope in the
Lord who is Saviour. In the second reading, Paul gives thanks to God, recognising
the richness of his grace in the life of the members of the community of
Corinthians, which has born good fruits, strengthening their faith in the
expectation of the coming of the Lord. The wish of Saint Paul is that the
community may persevere fervent in the message received about Jesus, growing
evermore in the confidence to the Lord who is trustworthy.
In
the gospel, Jesus speaks about the mystery of his coming. It is part of a plan
of wisdom and goodness of the Father. His coming instead frightening the people,
it motivates their hope in his salvation, because He is Saviour and comes in
order to save. The Christian journey is
a journey with joy to meet him because he always comes to meet us. His presence
is guarantee of protection, according to his own words: “I will keep you safe
from the time of trouble which is coming upon the world... I am coming soon”
(Apoc. 3, 10b-11a). From our part it is necessary to be attentive to his coming
in order to welcome him with availability and faithfulness. Our community
service done with generosity and gratuity is concrete expression of this
welcome. Some images presented in this gospel help us to enter better in the
dynamic of this coming:
a) Day is symbol of the constant visits of
the Lord and the Christian hope. The word Day is guarantee of his presence in
our life. This Day has no end; it speaks about eternity to which our life is turned
in expectation of the definitive meeting with the Lord.
b) Doorkeeper – symbol the availability to
open the door when the Master arrives. Openness is the condition to meet the
Lord and remaining in communion with him. He expects to be welcome well,
according to his own words: “I stand at the door and knock; if anyone hears my
voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with them, and they will eat
with me.” (Apocalypse 3, 20)
c) Servants in charge – Jesus entrust the
continuity of his mission to each person. Keeping watch is to assume with
responsibility the mission entrust to each one, presenting good results.
So,
Advent is time to renew our commitment with the Lord, assuming with enthusiasm
our mission as in the beginning in constant process of conversion. About this,
the Lord says to us again: “You are patient, you have suffered for my sake, and
you have not given up. But this is what I have against you: you do not love me
now as you did at first. Think how far you have fallen! Turn from your sins and
do what you did at first.” (Apoc. 2, 3-5a) The vigilance is characteristic of
the true disciple who knows his Master and is always ready to welcome him. May
the faithful and generous service to others be our constant vigilance in the
expectation of the coming of the Lord.
Fr. Ndega
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