“Be watchful. Be alert. You do not know when the time will come.” We are told three times in the Gospel to watch. When we are told something three times, that kind of stresses the importance of the task. Do you remember when you were little and your mom or your dad told you to do something. By the third time you were told, you knew you were risking bodily harm if you did not do what you were told. The same is true now that we are older. I think we all know the consequences if we do not listen to and respond to God’s word. Today’s Gospel is a reminder to us that we are the servants put in charge of God’s creation. We are the gatekeepers told to “watch” for we do not know when the Lord will return. This is the first weekend of Advent; and that’s what Advent is for, watching and waiting. But it’s not just a time of watching & waiting. It’s a time of eager anticipation, not just for the celebration of the birth of Jesus, which we remember at Christmas, but more importantly for his return. This past year has been a stark reminder to me that I could meet Jesus at any time, and what happened to me could
happen to anyone. Advent is a time of preparation in which we do all we can to open ourselves up to everything the Lord is offering us…. his love, his mercy, his joy, and his very self. Advent is a time for reflection and an examination of our lives. Have we responded to God’s word? Have we put God first in our lives? Have we modeled our lives after Christ? Advent requires an examination of conscience. When I say Advent is a time of waiting, I don’t just mean us waiting for God; But God also waits for us….to open our hearts to him and to rid ourselves of whatever stands in the way of him living within us. And that is why the Sacrament of Reconciliation is so important during Advent.
It’s so easy to get caught up in the secularism, and society’s interpretation of the season. In fact, Annie & I are looking forward to stringing up Christmas lights, decorating and having a big celebration, since we were unable to last year. There’s nothing wrong with that, as long as you don’t forget the real meaning and invite God to your celebration also.
In today’s first reading we hear Isaiah’s lament, and in it we hear our own lamentations echoed…. “Why do you let us wander,
O Lord, from your ways, and harden our hearts so that we do not fear you? Behold, you are angry, and we are sinful.” Isaiah is
crying out to God, and so do we. And why shouldn’t we complain to God? Who better to turn to in our times of distress and need?
We want to know where God is when tragedy strikes, when injustices are served, or when injuries or illness strike. We lament the fact that the world is in the condition that it is in. All around the world People are starving. People are homeless, while at the same time babies are being slaughtered in the name of “freedom of
choice”; and we kill the terminally ill “in the name of mercy”. Advent is a time to see the world for what it is. To acknowledge the mess, we have put ourselves in; to recognize our own failings. Advent is a gift that allows us to see how desperately we need a savior in our world, and in our hearts, and to put us back on the path that he intended for us. And if we prepare ourselves, Christmas gives us that…. his presence, his grace, and his love.
This, the first Sunday of Advent is also the beginning of a new liturgical year. Each liturgical year is devoted to a particular set of Gospel readings for each Sunday, and they run in a three year
cycle, corresponding to the three Synoptic Gospels of Matthew,
Mark & Luke. Last year was primarily devoted to Matthew, next year is Luke, and so this year is devoted to Mark. Readings from John’s Gospel get sprinkled in throughout all the cycles. So, today’s Gospel is just the first of many passages you’ll hear throughout the year from mark’s Gospel. I would like to suggest, or if I may be so bold….to assign some homework, as a good spiritual exercise for Advent; to sit down one evening, turn the TV off and read the Gospel of Mark; in one sitting if possible, so as not to lose any of its importance. Over a few days, if need be, but Mark is the shortest of all four of the Gospels so it should be easy to get through in one sitting. If we do this, then when we come to Mass on Sundays and hear the various passages proclaimed, we’ll know where they fit in with the whole scheme of things and get a fuller understanding of the Word. The Gospel of Mark is a little different than Matthew’s or Luke’s. Mark emphasizes deeds over words. He doesn’t paint any pretty pictures. He gets right to the point. Mark doesn’t have an infancy narrative. He starts with an
adult Jesus, and one who is not comfortable. Jesus is controversial and challenging…. counter cultural. Marks Gospel has more of a
sense of urgency. He warns us to be prepared. “Christ is coming back, and we need to be prepared, not tomorrow but now.” He uses the word “immediately” 42 times in his short Gospel. He not only warns us to be prepared, but he challenges us to be like Christ.
This Advent let’s spend more time in prayer, reflecting on whether we model our lives on Christ. Is Jesus the one we look to for guidance? Is Jesus the one shaping our life? Let’s examine our consciences and open ourselves up to receive God’s Grace. “Be watchful. Be alert. You do not know the time when the Lord of the house will return. May he not come suddenly and find us sleeping. WATCH.”