Advent: Revealing the Mystery of our Life

 Reflection on Today's Readings, 1st Sunday of Advent, Year C, November 28th, 2021
Texts: Jer. 33: 14-16; Ps.  Ps 25 :4-5ab.8-10.14; l Thess. 3: 12-4:2; Luke 21 : 25-28.34-36
Today we begin another liturgical year, the year C. Church always begins every liturgical year with Advent season. Advent celebrates two aspects of the mystery of Christ. First, it reminds us of His first coming. We celebrate His first coming and pray that He might be born in us. We also celebrate His second coming, which is yet to be fulfilled; we assure ourselves and affirms once again that He is still coming again.
Advent is a season that is marked by the spirit of waiting and patience. The aura is that of expectancy and longing to be set free from unpleasant situation. Hence, Jesus, in today's gospel reading, says, "There will be signs in sun and moon and stars, and upon the earth distress of nations in perplexity at the roaring of the sea and the waves, men fainting with fear and with foreboding of what is coming on the world; for the powers of the heavens will be shaken. And then they will see the Son of man coming in a cloud with power and great glory."  It expresses the desire for Saviour, one who will deliver us from our predicament.
The life of every Christian should be characterized by the aura of Advent, that is, waiting, expectancy, longing and patience. Hence, St. Paul says, "For the creation waits with eager longing for the revealing of the children of God; for the creation was subjected to futility, not of its own will but by the will of the one who subjected it, in hope that the creation itself will be set free from its bondage to decay and will obtain the freedom of the glory of the children of God. We know that the whole creation has been groaning in labor pains until now; and not only the creation, but we ourselves, who have the first fruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly while we wait for adoption, the redemption of our bodies. For in[o] hope we were saved. Now hope that is seen is not hope. For who hopes[p] for what is seen? But if we hope for what we do not see, we wait for it with patience" (Rom. 8:19-25). To be a genuine Christian is to imbibe the spirit of Advent. Christian life, until Christ comes, reflects Advent. Therefore, in Advent season, we celebrate the mystery of our life as we also celebrate the aspect of the mystery of Christ.
The memory of the first coming of Christ gives us reason to believe in the second coming. It assures us that He is faithful to His words, for He once promised He would come and He fulfilled it. As He fulfilled His promise in the past so also He will fulfil His promise to come back again. This means the celebration of Advent renews and strengthens one's trust in God.
Today's first reading speaks on the assurance of the fulfilment of God's promises. In the prophetic words of Jeremiah: "Behold, the days are coming, says the Lord, when I will fulfil the promise I made to the house of Israel and the house of Judah." God will surely fulfil his promise. What we need is patience. We need to be patient with God. What God promises is One who is righteous and who will execute justice and righteousness among His people. This means we are awaiting a Saviour who is just and righteous. Being reminded that the One we await is just and righteous, we are reminded to await Him in justice and righteousness. If we are not just and righteous, we wait in vain; His coming will be of no benefit to us. We are to be just and righteous as we await our Lord Jesus Christ.
St. Paul continues to encourage us in today's second reading that loving ourselves and all men is the way to wait for Christ. He affirms that when we abide in love, we will become blameless of heart and attain holiness. In his words: "May the Lord make you increase and abound in love to one another and to all men, as we do to you, so that he may establish your hearts unblamable in holiness before our God and Father, at the coming of our Lord Jesus with all his saints". When we live by love, we will be righteous and just; love is the way to righteousness and justice.
Jesus, in today's gospel reading, asks us not to allow the life of indulgence and cares of this world to take our minds off the second coming of Christ. Jesus Christ makes us realize that the life of indulgence and cares of the world could make us lose the vision of Christ. As we await the second coming of Christ, let us avoid the life of indulgence and give up the cares of this world. Jesus Christ also tells us to watch and pray as we await His return in glory. To watch means to be on guard, to be focused. We need prayer because we are to pray for God's grace. In His words: "But watch at all times, praying to have strength to escape all these things that will take place, and to stand before the Son of man.”

Grant, almighty Father, that when Christ comes again we may go out to meet him, bearing the harvest of good works achieved by your grace. We pray that he will receive us into the company of the saints and call us into the kingdom of heaven. (Morning Prayer)

Fr. Andrew Olowomuke