Shikrot Mpwi - Sunday Synopsis with Fr. Justine J. Dyikuk

First Sunday of Advent, Year A – Dec 1, 2019

Readings: Is 2:1-5; Responsorial Psalm Ps 122:1-2,3-4, 4-5, 6-7, 8-9; 

Rom 13:11-14; Gospel Mat 24:37-44.

Theme: The Joy of Waiting

Introduction

Friends in Christ, I welcome you heartily to another Advent season. The word Advent comes from the Latin, adventus which means “coming” – the word is synonymous with the Greek Parousia which also stands for (coming). As a season of waiting for something really important, Advent is about both the preparation of the annual celebration of the birth of Christ and his second coming. Little wonder in the gospel (Mat 24:37-44) Jesus likens his Parousia (coming) to the days of Noah, before and after the flood. It would seem that there are three kinds of coming: his incarnation, his coming every Christmas and his second coming in glory (Parousia).

 

Advent is a period of waiting. We know that there are various kinds of waiting. For example: A patient waiting for his doctor; an expectant mother for her child; a farm for a bumper harvest; a student for his result; a passenger for a taxi et al. What is common in all these is the fact that no one can predict the outcome – it can be either way. What makes Advent unique is “quality assurance.” We are 100% assured that Christ will come again in glory because over two thousand years ago and his words are true – he cannot lie to us. So, Advent is about a joyous expectation. This is the thrust of this season.  

Background and Summary of Readings

The first reading (Is 2:1-5) recounts vision of the Prophet Isaiah. It assures that God would judge between nations. The reading also urges the House of Jacob and indeed all to walk in the light of the Lord.

In the second reading (Rom 13:11-14), St. Paul brings the dimension of urgency to the message. He invites the Romans to wake up because salvation is nearer to them than when they got converted. He maintains that the night is far gone and urges all to give up the works of darkness in order to put on the armour of light. He called on all to live a decent life and warned against drunkenness, orgies, promiscuity or licentiousness, wrangling or jealousy even as he encouraged the faithful to embrace the amour of Christ.  

The gospel reading (Mat 24:37-44) reveals how Jesus told his apostles what happened during the time of Noah. How people refused to heed to Noah’s warning and went about eating, drinking and taking wives and husbands and the flood took them by surprise.  He likened the occurrence with the coming of Christ maintaining that two men would be working in the field, one would be taken and the other left; two women at the milestone grinding, one taken and the other left. He surmised that we should stay awake and be vigilant because the Son of Man is coming at an hour we do not expect.  

Pastoral Lessons

1. Prepare Worthily: At Advent, Catholic faithful are charged to prepare themselves worthily to celebrate the anniversary of the Lord’s coming into the world as the incarnate God of love (Cf. New Catholic Encyclopaedia) as indicative in Jesus’ allusion to Noah’s time.

2. Make Your Souls Fitting Abodes for Him: We are charged to make our souls fitting abodes for the Redeemer coming in Holy Communion and through grace (Cf. New Catholic Encyclopaedia).  

3. Be Ready for His Coming in Glory:  We are challenged to make ourselves ready for his coming as judge, at death and at the end of the world (Cf. New Catholic Encyclopaedia) when he would come to judge the living and the dead.  

4. Relish the Glorious Wait: Since there are moments in-between the remote events leading to Christmas and our spiritual preparation, we are charged to enjoy the glorious wait for his coming in prayer, reflection and carrying our acts of charity.

5. Cast Off the Works of Darkness: To put the season in perspective, we must “cast off the works of darkness” and “put on the armour of light” (Rom 13:12) at Advent and always.

6. Shun Concupiscence: The warning of St. Paul in the second reading that we should shun concupiscence of the flesh provides us with a spiritual recipe on the first Sunday of Advent.  

7. Grow in Awareness of the Christ-events: This season aids our understanding of the Christ-events which Advent prepares and Christmas celebrates.

8. Welcome Jesus in Your Heart & Home: The times and seasons constitute a period of welcoming Jesus in our hearts for the greater events that would unfold. 

9. Be Vigilant:  Advent urges us to stay awake and be vigilant because the Son of Man is coming at an hour we do not expect.  

Homiletic Points to Remember

1. The word Advent comes from the Latin, adventus which means “coming.”

2. The word is synonymous with the Greek Parousia which also stands for (coming).

3. There are three kinds of coming: His incarnation, his coming every Christmas and his second coming in glory (Parousia).

4. In the second reading St. Paul brings the dimension of urgency to the message.

5. Stay awake and be vigilant because the Son of Man is coming at an hour we do not expect. 

Conclusion

In conclusion, the Season of Advent leads us to a spiritual-nostalgia of recalling the incarnation events. By his birth over thousand years ago, Christ established a kingdom. Upon his paschal mysteries, Christ returned to the father with the promise that he would return in glory – a return we are all joyously waiting for. We pray during this Advent and beyond the Yuletide Season that we would be always ready to meet the Lord when he comes. Have a fabulous Advent!