YEAR C: HOMILY FOR THE 1ST SUNDAY OF ADVENT (8)
YEAR C: HOMILY FOR THE 1ST SUNDAY OF ADVENT
HOMILY THEME: PREPARING FOR HIS COME
BY: Fr. Benny Tuazon
(Lk. 21:25-36) First Sunday of Advent
In today’s Gospel, the First Sunday of Advent, the beginning of a new liturgical year for the Church, Jesus provides some of the events which will happen before His coming and the human conditions we will be subjected to. The picture is grim and daunting. It is hard not to experience fear facing those calamities. Yet the calm after the storm, the bliss after the chaos, and the victory after the battle should be enough to be hopeful and courageous.
Advent is preparation. It is a sincere anticipation of a Christ event. It is welcoming through remembering what happened a long long time ago at the same time anticipating the second coming of the Lord Jesus. We rejoice in both. The coming of the Lord is a moment of grace.
Maranatha will be seen in most churches. It means “Come Lord Jesus!” We ache for the presence and care of the Lord. Our situation is full of difficulties and dwindling faith. The spirit of advent brings us to the focusing on the Lord who will make His presence be felt. Yes, we remember what happened more than two thousand years ago when Jesus was born. At the same time, we anticipate His Second coming.
We have four Sundays of Advent. They are relatively short given the importance of the preparation. But we have to do it for the sake of our salvation. Every year we do this. Hopefully we have improved and became closer to God. Seasons like these are supposed to assist us to be worthy of God. Let us not be carried away, as Jesus had said, in carousing, drinking and eating. We should not only take care of our physical bodies. We have to see the environment as our co-creation. We have to take care of them too. Most importantly, let us take care of our souls. Preparing our souls makes us benefit from Advents.
Christmas commercialism and invaded our country. Jesus had warned against complacency. Let those material commercialism be managed and controlled by us and not vice versa. Christmas is a Christ-event. it’s matter is salvation and spirituality. We aim not only for the gifts from our neighbours but the gifts from the Spirit. We aim not only for material and earthly satisfaction but to be an heir in the Kingdom and enter in glory in heaven. We aim to make meaningful and fruitful the ultimate humility made by the Lord by becoming one like us. We aim to be true Christians!
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