December 2, 2018

1st Sunday of Advent
Jeremiah 33: 14-16; 1 Thessalonians 3: 12- 4:2; Luke 21: 25-28, 34-36
Christmas decorations are springing up. Many use the weekend of Thanksgiving to get ready for the
Christmas season. Our family had its annual drawing for our ‘Christmas elf’ last night. For a
number of years we put names in the hat and select one person for our ‘Christmas gift’ person. We
find it brings the family closer together and also enables us to be aware of those who are in real
need.
Yet Advent is also a time that we should be concentrating on ourselves. The definition of Advent is
‘the arrival of a notable person, thing, or event.’ Wikipedia says, ”Advent is a season observed in many
Christian churches as a time of expectant waiting and preparation for the celebration of the Nativity of Jesus at
Christmas as well as the return of Jesus at the second coming. The term is a version of the Latin word meaning
‘coming’. Wikipedia immediately follows with stories on Cyber Monday shopping…Luxury advent
calendars are officially out of control…People are dropping upwards of $200 on novelty Advent
calendars… How can we focus ourselves on where our lives are going and where they perhaps have
drifted away from the meaning of our faith: God’s love for each and every person. Are our hearts
focused on the power of heaven for guidance and comfort? We look to the skies and see that the
clouds are heavy and rains will be pouring down…perhaps it will turn to snow. We see the change in
seasons has begun with the falling leaves. Daylight Savings Time on November fourth continued the
long tradition started by Benjamin Franklin to conserve energy. We can predict storms and so much
more; Jesus asks us today to “be vigilant at all times”. Let nothing or no person keep us from realizing
that God is actively with us and leading each person closer to Himself and to the glories of Heaven.
IS THIS OUR ADVENT THEME AND REFLECTION THIS YEAR?
The key phrase in the first reading is “I will fulfill the promise I made…” Jeremiah’s mission is to
continue to build up the kingdom established by God for David. If everyone, from king to
commoner listens to God’s instructions and lives them, they will realize their full potential as God’s
chosen ones, totally loved. Unfortunately the people rejected Jeremiah’s encouragement. They
failed to put God first. They put so many ‘other idols’ in their lives. But Jeremiah is looking beyond
this fierce resistance and seeing a much brighter future days. In 2 Samuel 7:13 “I will establish
{David’s} royal throne forever.” A ‘just king’ will rise from David’s line. This ‘king’ will bring about
what His predecessors could not…because this ‘king’ will be the Messiah. God will shepherd His
people once more/again. Am I listening this time around? How can I avoid being caught in the
frenzy of false ‘idols’ around Christmas and see that God is talking to me now!
Paul’s first letter to the Thessalonians is the earliest in existence Pauline letter we have. It was
written in the early 50’s. We know that all of Paul’s letters were written before any of the Gospels
were written. Here the community at Thessalonica were concerned that their loved ones are dying
before Jesus has returned. They thought that the end times, the parousia, would usher in the end of
the world. Why are their loved ones dying? Are they going to be taken up to heaven? Paul is telling
them it will happen, but we don’t know when. Beware that your hearts do not…become focused on
yourselves and everyday concerns but continue to “be blameless in holiness.” Continue to live as
being loved by God and being people of love. This is what counts. Am I doing this? Is this how I
live this Advent season?
All of the Synoptic Gospels (Matthew, Mark and Luke) include an apocalyptic scene in which Jesus
warns His disciples, including you and me, of the end-times. Luke does not include the destruction
of Jerusalem as an indicator of the last times. He is very clear about cosmic signs with the sun,
moon and stars and the turmoil with the nations of the world as well as the consternation of the
earths oceans and seas. ALL of this will cause FEAR. But what will come is the fulfillment written
in Scriptures. The language Luke uses is directly from Daniel 7:13-14 “I saw One like a son of man
coming on the clouds of heaven; When he reached the Ancient One and was presented before him, He
received dominion, glory, and kingship; nations and peoples of every language serve him HIs dominion is an
everlasting dominion that shall not be taken away his kingship shall not be destroyed.” This was the
language the early Christians used to talk about the coming of Jesus. Luke is saying that this is when
redemption is at hand. This will be the end of persecution and terrors and fear. NOW since no one
knows WHEN this will happen…be careful. We can become so lazy and find ourselves resorting to
old patterns of daily life. I can so easily be caught up in to what the ‘crowd’ is doing around me and
fail to see that this ADVENT is a time for me to turn in on myself and to daily examine my
priorities. Am I finding time each day to realize that I have been loved and blessed by God? Am I
sharing these blessings and His love? Am I remembering that God is Lord and I must conduct
myself to please God? This is the focal point of Paul today. Am I praying for the strength to avoid
the pitfalls that so often steer me away from God? So often we WANT a timetable when the END
will come. Jesus says, ‘No one knows except the Father.’ The Scripture verses today are not telling
us when but rather what kind of people we are becoming as we prepare for our last days.
Some Advent ‘vigilances’ from St. Anthony Messenger Press:
A. For over a month, we’ve already been bombarded with ads for Christmas merchandise in stores
or online.
B. For most people, December is—or could easily be—their busiest month socially. Because of
that, many organizations have moved some annual events to another month.
C. For many other people, this season is especially difficult because of personal or family losses
since last December. Larger groups may also have similar experiences.
D. Advent is a perfect time to ask whether we are steering our lives or are allowing them simply to
be swept up in a momentum created by other people.
E. Advent is an ideal time to drop some activity that we may feel obliged to repeat although it has
grown stale over time.
F. Why not replace it with one of the corporal or spiritual works of mercy such as visiting the sick
or feeding the hungry?
G. Jesus is the best fulfillment of Isaiah’s statement “The Lord is our justice.”’
Sacred Space 2019 shares:
“Jesus is using traditional Jewish symbolism to describe what will happen when God’s final judgment occurs.
He says that people will see ‘the Son of Man coming in a cloud.’ The cloud is a symbol for God’s presence.
Jesus’ message bursts with hope and confidence because, unlike those who have reason to fear His coming,
Jesus’ followers will be able to hold their heads high because their liberation is at hand.
Jesus urges me to be on guard so that my heart is not weighed down by the worries of life. What are the
worries and cares of life that weigh me down today? As I prepare for a conversation with Jesus, can I bring my
worries and cares to Him in prayer?”