First Sunday of Advent (A)

December 1, 2019

Readings:

First Reading: Isaiah 2: 1-5

Psalm 122 “Let us go rejoicing to the house of the Lord.”

Second Reading: Romans 13: 11-14

Gospel reading according to Matthew 24: 37-44

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Homily:

This Sunday, the First Sunday of Advent, we are encouraged by the Church to prepare ourselves for the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of Man and the Son of God.  The primary meaning of Advent as the preparation for the coming of the Lord, but in the twofold sense; remembering his nativity so as to contemplate his glorious second coming at the end of time.  The celebration of Advent is as much about watching for the day when Christ will come again in glory as it is about preparing for the annual feast of Jesus' birth (see Bruce T Morrill, Vatican II Weekday Missal, Advent and Christmas, ²Seeking the Spirituality of the Seasons,² 2002, p. 47).  In this Advent season, we remember the love of God the Father to the humanity, especially to the poor, oppressed, marginalized and excluded, as the Son of Man is about to be born in our midst, in a cave of animals, in the manger or stable where the animals eat hay, without any support from the midwife or doctor, in a very poor condition no man ever experienced.  He is about to be born in a place where there is no peace, only injustices from the Romans, the Jewish elites, the leaders and elders in the Temple, etc., and with a tyrant king; while many of the ordinary Jewish people are poor, sick, suffering from different kinds of illness, possessed by demons and nowhere to turn to.  Anong kalunus-lunos na pangitain.  These are the conditions of his people and society when he comes and stays to his own.

Jesus who sees, hears, feels everything can easily learn many things, especially with regards to the circumstances and settings of his people.  Jesus said to his disciples, 'For as it was in the days of Noah, so it will be at the coming of the Son of Man' (Matthew 24: 37).  He compares the time and situations of Noah's surroundings to his coming.  The time of Noah is not different of the time of Jesus, as if nothing has changed, as if people never learned from what had happened during the time of Noah.  Nobody listened to Noah and the coming flood and deluge.  Noah wanted to save lives of his countrymen but instead they laughed at him and called him names, that he was crazy, insane and out of his mind, for the weather is beautiful and there is no rain seeing from the distance, in the horizon.  

During those times, people were enjoying their lives, without any worries, without listening to God's voice and pleading, even to Noah's warnings of the destruction by flood.  What was important for them is to enjoy life.  'In those days before the flood, they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, up to the day that Noah entered the ark' (Matthew 24: 38).  Maybe their motto was, eat and drink and be merry for tomorrow they die.  They did not mine what's going on in their surroundings until such time they were caught unaware.  

 

The heavy rain fell in the beauty of the weather, and the water collected flowed down to all places and the people were drown, all of them, walang natira, including animals, birds and plants.  'They did not know until the flood came and carried them all away.  So will it be also at the coming of the Son of Man' (Matthew 24: 39). The people did not recognize the deluge that came of which it took their lives. I remember the Tsunami that had happened in 2005 in Indonesia and Sri Lanka, almost all peoples there were washed away and died due to big waves as well as what had happened in 2014 in Samar and Leyte due to typhoon Yolanda.  They were caught unaware until they were carried all away by the flood and giant waves.  The same also for the coming of the Son of Man, he will come unnoticed, nobody knows his coming, and nobody recognize him when he comes.

He also compared the coming of the Son of Man with two men and women.  'Two men will be out in the field; one will be taken, and one will be left.  Two women will be grinding at the mill; one will be taken, and one will be left' (Matthew 24: 40-41).  There is taking and there is remaining or leaving behind.  So, he reminded us all to stay awake and be ready when he comes.  'Therefore, stay awake! For you do not know on which day your Lord will come’ (Matthew 24: 42). We must continue doing right and good for our brothers and sister in need; let them feel and experience the meaning of the true coming of the Son of God and of Man in their lives in this season of Advent.  They are important and are not abandoned by our generosity and love.

Again Jesus compared the coming of the Son of Man and of God to a thief n the night.  Nobody knows when the thief will attack and ransack the house.  He said, 'Be sure of this: if the master of the house had known the hour of night when the thief was coming, he would have stayed awake and not let his house be broken into' (Matthew 24: 43).  We must stay awake also for we know for sure that Jesus is coming into our lives, as we anticipate this great event in the history of humankind. 

If we bring back the hand of time during the incarnation of our Lord Jesus Christ, we too were unaware of his coming, but we can feel the spirit of Advent, there is something unusual in the air as if it brings glad tidings to all humankind, there is a feeling of joy and happiness all over the places, in silence with deep feeling.  It made the night bight as day. Those who were awake were dumbfounded, while those sleeping woke up in a fright, for they sensed the brightness with their hearts as much as with their bodies.  'So too, you also must be prepared, for at an hour you do not expect, the Son of Man will come’ (Matthew 24: 44).  Long have we known his coming, for every year we celebrate this first coming of the Son of Man and of God.  But, every year also we are reminded to prepare ourselves for his second coming, that he may find us waiting and watching, doing service to others by taking care his poor, defenseless, marginalized, and the least brothers and sisters of our Lord Jesus Christ, for in them he comes and becomes 'Emmanuel,' God is with us.