First Sunday of Advent (B)

November 29, 2020

 

Readings:

First Reading: Isaiah 63: 16b-17, 19b; 64: 2-7

Psalm 80 “Lord, make us turn to you; let us see your face and we shall be saved.”

Second Reading: 1 Corinthians 1: 3-9

Gospel reading according to Mark 13: 33-37

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Homily:

This Sunday is the First Sunday of Advent.  But what is Advent and how important is it in our Christian life? Who or what are we expecting to come? How do we prepare ourselves in this Advent?  Advent is a season of the liturgical year observed as a time of expectant waiting and preparation for both the celebration of the Nativity of Christ at Christmas and the return of Christ at the Second Coming. The term adopted from Latin adventus "coming, arrival," translating Greek parousia.  In the New Testament, this is the term used for the Second Coming of Christ. Thus, the season of Advent in the Christian calendar anticipates the "coming of Christ" from three different perspectives: the physical nativity in Bethlehem, the reception of Christ in the heart of the believer, and the eschatological Second Coming (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Advent).  During this season of preparation, Christians would spend 40 days in penance, prayer, and fasting to prepare for this celebration before Christmas, [Christ birth] (https://www.christianity.com/christian-life/christmas/what-is-advent.html). 

In the gospel of Mark, Jesus warned his disciples to be watchful and be alert for they did not know the coming of the Lord and Master of the house, Jesus Christ himself. They must be always ready, prepared and watchful for his (second) coning again in their lives.  “Jesus said to his disciples, Be watchful!  Be alert!  You do not know when the time will come.  It is like a man traveling abroad.  He leaves home and places his servants in charge, each with his work, and orders the gatekeeper to be on the watch” (Mk. 13: 33-34).  Jesus is like a man traveling abroad leaving his servants, his disciples.  But before he leaves them, he gives each one a responsibility, each one is in charge of the work entrusted to him.  He even tells the gatekeeper to keep the gate close and be on the watch for his coming to open it for him.  This happened, when the fullness of time came, when he was put to his passion and death by crucifying him on a tree by his opponents, but on the third day he rose and resurrected, and ascended into heaven.  And he promised that he will come back.  While waiting, they must perform the work or task entrusted to them to do; without idleness, sleepy heads, puyat due to drunkenness and gossiping; at the same time, making vigil and/or a night watch waiting for the coming of their Lord and Master.

Jesus encouraged them to be watchful.  “Watch, therefore; you do not know when the lord of the house is coming, whether in the evening, or at midnight, or at cockcrow, or in the morning.  May he not come suddenly and find you sleeping” (Mk. 13: 35-36).  The man’s coming is unknown to anyone.  No one knows when he will come back, but for sure he is coming sooner or later.  What the servants (the disciples) need is to wait, with full alertness for his coming is without warning.  As in the First Reading, from the Book of the Prophet Isaiah, it said, “. . . while you wrought awesome deeds we could not hope for, such as they had not head of from of old.  No ear has ever heard, no eye ever seen, any God but you doing such deeds for those who wait for him.  Would that you might meet us doing right, that we were mindful of you in our ways!” (Is. 64: 2-4).  God the Father performed many amazing things which other gods cannot do, like for example, rend the heavens and coming down, with mountains quacking before him, aside from creating different creatures. These were awesome for those who were waiting for him during the night watch or at dawn (sa bukang liwayway).  Jesus told his disciples to be watchful during evening or at midnight, or at the cockcrow or even in the morning (from six o’clock in the morning up to five o’clock in the afternoon); stay awake, spend time in prayer, meditate, or reflect, or do charitable works to one’s neighbors or doing as the Master of the house has given each one’s work and not sleeping.

Jesus did not only tell his own disciples this discipline of being watchful and alert, he even extended this warning to us, his followers today.  “What I say to you, I say to all: Watch!”  (Mk. 13: 37).  He wants us also to be watchful, to be alert for his second coming, for we do not know also the day, the time or the hour of his coming.  Jesus is inviting us to “watch,” be prepared, alert and awoke for his coming.  He did not say, while waiting and watching, to decorate lavishly our homes with expensive Christmas tree and decors, lots of series of Christmas lights inside and outside of our homes, prepare sumptuous food for Noche Buena, wrapping Christmas gifts for godchildren (inaanak) and loved ones, shopping in malls for new clothing and many other commercial, promotional and materialistic goods and activities to be done in order to celebrate the birth of the Messiah, of Jesus Christ, the Lord.  But for those victims of calamities, such us, typhoons in Luzon up until now they are submerged by flood and muds, no more houses and properties and loss of lives of their loved ones, and earthquakes in some parts of Visayas and Mindanao still under rubbles, to name but a few, they cannot feel and think to celebrate Christmas.  Although all these things bring joy and happiness and a merry Christmas for some on one hand and loss of hope, joy, peace and love for many on the other hand.  But still we can prepare ourselves for the coming of the Lord for what He was asking from us is our spiritual and physical, mental, moral and psychological, etc., our whole selves, in preparation with anticipation and gladness for his coming in the midst of calamities and disaster, nothingness, poverty, simple living, with open hearts, mind, body and soul. 

So, in this season of Advent, of preparation and waiting, what we need to do is to prepare ourselves watchful and alert, by praying, doing penance and fasting, and giving charitable alms, works of mercy and support to our needy poor and least brothers and sisters, so that when he comes (either in the physical nativity in Bethlehem, in the reception of Christ in the hearts of all believers, and in the eschatological Second Coming), he may find us waiting for his return and not sleeping, or merrymaking, drinking alcoholic beverages, an endless celebration, gossiping, and idleness, as St. Paul said to the people of Corinth, “. . . so that you are not lacking in any spiritual gift as you wait for the revelation of our Lord Jesus Christ” (1 Cor. 1: 7).  Yes, Lord, we will be watchful, alert and awake until you come again.