Fresh Dew Media

 1ST SUNDAY OF ADVENT – YEAR A: REFLECTION BY FR JULIAN EKEH

THEME: BE ON THE WATCH OUT, JESUS IS COMING

(Matthew 24:37-44)

Advent is here again. A period of joyful expectations.  A time we wait in hope for the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. A time we put ourselves in the shoes of those who did this waiting more than two thousand years ago. A time we ask ourselves how ready we are for the second coming of Jesus Christ in glory. It is a time we appreciate the more the daily coming of Jesus as our Eucharistic guest. 

The word Advent is of Latin origin, from 'advenire' which means to come to, to approach, to arrive, to reach.

Who is coming? Jesus the Son of God, 'advenire' also is defined as 'arise'. Thus, the Sun of justice arises to shine in, among and around us. Ours is to go out and welcome the awaited Saviour. Let us prepare for Christmas.

 

HOW WILL THE COMING BE?

This is the question taken up by the Gospel of today. The day of the Son of Man is likened to the day of Noah. There may not be anything extraordinary. It will be just as other normal days. People will be eating as usual, drinking and marrying. What makes the difference is awareness. How aware are you about the divine as you journey along the way to meet Lord. The secrete is whatever one does, let it be done to the glory of God. Those who fail to realize that God is in-charge of the world and will certainly come to see the work of his hands may be lost in the ocean of materialism, hedonism, sexual and sensual exploitation, extortion, lustfulness without love etc. They will be like Adam and Eve who lost sight of Divine visitation and went their different ways and God came and found them not waiting. The wise will be like Noah and enter the ark of holiness, of justice, of peace constructed with Divine directives.  Waiting demands obedience. The tendency to leave will be there. It is an active wait, the tendency to sleep is there. Let's wait and never be swept away.

 

BE READY AT ALL TIMES

We do not know the hour. Jesus never revealed the day of the coming. We've got to wait in prayers, in virtuousness and in joy. Let's not do that grudgingly. Life may not be very fair to us but Jesus insists that we wait.  Waiting demands a lot of patience. Waiting on the Lord is not wasting of time. It is a thing worth doing. Jesus did not disappoint those who waited on Him, He will not leave you to wait in vain. One may lose out in this wait by being in wrong company, being in the wrong places, comparing oneself with those who are careless with Divine instructions, entering into dialogue with the enemy of your saviour and salvation.

Let us make ourselves ready for the Lord by overcoming temptations to outward preparedness devoid of in-depth repentance, confessing our sins, by dining at the holy table, and by standing firmly on the solid rock of the word of God.

May God bless His word in our hearts.

 

LET US PRAY

Thank You Lord God for the bringing us into this new season of advent, into the year of the Church. As we prepare for Your Son's coming,

Make us ready to welcome Him, May we receive Him daily and be joyful at His glorious coming whenever it will be through Christ our Lord.  Amen

 

Come Lord Jesus, make us worthy of you. Amen

Happy First Sunday of Advent (Yr A)

You're welcome to the new year of the Church

Rev Fr Julian O Ekeh