First Sunday of Advent

We have heard the story of the high school student who decides to have a party because his parents are going away for the weekend.  The house is packed with his friends, and all of their friends, and others he doesn’t even know.  Everyone is having a good time: drinking, smoking and dancing to loud music.  And then without anyone even noticing, the father walks in; his wife had gotten sick and she insisted they turn around and go home.

There was no one watching the door.  The sudden appearance of the father, too upset even to speak, silences everyone, who quickly head for the door.  There is no time to do anything else.

That scenario always comes to my mind when I hear today’s gospel parable.  Jesus’ last word is simply, “Watch.”  And watch we should, for He is coming again in glory at a time when no one knows.  We need to be prepared, for when He appears, it will be too late to do anything else.

In today’s first reading, Isaiah cries out to God our Father and asks God to rend the heavens and come down.  The people are in need of God and God’s appearance among them.  Hundreds of years later, the prayer is answered and God quietly appears among us as a little baby born to a young girl with only her trusting husband in attendance.  The only ones who will arrive later are some young shepherds who had been out in the field and were amazed at what angels told them, and some wise men who journeyed from afar being led by a star.

Advent calls us to prepare for the Second Coming that will catch all unaware, but will be made manifest to all who are alive for it will be awesome and glorious.   Yet, Advent is also when we remember the first coming in Bethlehem, which was the beginning of God’s saving the world in time through the power of love.

God wants us all to be saved.  As told by Isaiah, and then later by Jesus, our God is a loving Father who calls us by name into a relationship.  Our Father, and Jesus, with the Holy Spirit, desire that we know, love, and serve their Majesty.  In the second reading, Paul reminds the Corinthians that our God is faithful and will give us the spiritual gifts we need and desire.

Advent then is about both watching for and preparing for God’s coming into our lives.  Advent is an invitation to pray, to ponder the goodness of God, especially the person of Jesus Christ.  We are to deepen our relationship with Him through personal prayer, reading and studying the Scripture, and availing ourselves of the sacraments of Confession and Eucharist that will make us more like the One we love.  We are invited to experience the power of the Holy Spirit leading us into greater holiness. 

We trust that God will provide for us, but it is up to us to give the time, discipline, and energy needed to come to know the Lord.  Advent is a gift of twenty-two days to set aside distractions, fight laziness, silence our minds, and ponder God’s goodness to us.  Then, in imitation of Mary, we will say “Yes” to what God asks.   Like Joseph, we will pay attention to the different ways God speaks so as not to miss a message the Lord has for us.  

As Jesus said, “Watch.”  Our God will come.