First Sunday of Advent Year C, 28th November, 2021

First Sunday of Advent Year C, 28th November, 2021

Readings: Jer. 33:14-16; Ps.25; 1Thess. 3:12-4:2; Luke 21:25-28.34-36

Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Emenike Onyia.

ADVENT SEASON ANOTHER OPPORTUNITY TO  EMBRACE THE COMING OF THE LORD

Today we enter a new season, the season of Advent and in a special way every first Sunday of Advent, the Church begins another liturgical year within the three years of A, B and C in the liturgical circle of the Church. In this Advent season we are celebrating year C.  And the season of Advent as we know is one of the most important season in the life every Christian. The word Advent stems from the Latin root, Adventus, which means 'arrival' though from the root word advenire whereby ad  means 'to' and venire means 'come' that is the coming of someone great. 

So Advent is a period of intense preparations and a time of waiting in hope for the coming of the Lord which is in two folds: first the coming of the Messiah that is the birth of Jesus at Christmas and secondly, the return of Jesus at the Second Coming “ the parousia”. This is why Advent season is divided into two parts, the first which runs from the first Sunday until 16th of December, dwells on the second coming of Christ the eschatological aspect of Advent. While the second aspect which focuses on the first coming of Christ at Bethlehem runs from 17th -24th December.

Thus, Advent is a season characterized with four major themes which include: ‘Hope’, ‘Peace’, ‘Joy’ and ‘Love’. So, on this first Sunday of Advent our focus is on hope. A joyful hope for the coming of our Saviour who is our hope. Thus, as we anticipate the birth of Christ who is the source of our salvation, our hope and the Light that dispels the darkness of this world, so it is our duty as Christians to keep hope alive in the world for as long as there is hope, no situation is impossible.

But what should be our disposition this season? Our disposition should be the one of watchful expectation in order to recognize the Lord and be at peace with him when he comes. We are to be ready and prepared to welcome him with joy in our daily life. Hence, this is the season of reconciliation, when we must ensure that we reconcile with God and with one another. It is a season when we have to reexamine our way of life. It is a time of reconfiguration of our lives and also to take stock of what we have done and what we are going to do from now onwards. Our disposition to welcoming the Lord in our hearts should be at it very pick and this should be seen by our ways of doing things. Also, our desire for conversion and holiness should be more visible by shaping our lives more to that of Christ who showers his love, mercy and compassion to all.

This is what the readings of this season calls our attention to, especially in the two fold coming of Christ as we have it in today’s readings. Thus, in the first reading, we heard from prophet Jeremiah addressing the people of Judah at the darkest moments in their history, reminding them of God’s promises of a righteous Branch of light, truth and hope when he said: in those days and at that time, God will make a virtuous Branch grow for David, who shall practice honesty and integrity in the land. This righteous Branch we see in the person of Christ Jesus. Thus we are reminded that in Christ is our true Hope and he is the joy of this season.

And Jesus in our Gospel passage today tells us that there will be signs in the sun and moon and stars; on earth nations in agony, bewildered by the clamour of the ocean and its waves; men dying of fear as they await what menaces the world, for the powers of heaven will be shaken. And then they will see the Son of Man coming in a cloud with power and great glory. When these things begin to take place, stand erect, hold your heads high, because your liberation is near at hand. Here we heard the message of hope and warning calling us to embrace the message of the season. So, we must keep watching or our hearts will be coarsened with debauchery and drunkenness and the cares of life, and that day will be sprung on us suddenly, like a trap

Dear friends, today we are called to be ready, we are called to repentance, we are called to embrace the new life the Lord if offering us. We are called to a life of constant struggle towards perfection. Little wonder St. Paul in our first reading today says: brothers, we urge you and appeal to you in the Lord Jesus to make more and more progress in the kind of life that you are meant to live: the life that God wants.

 This is exactly what this season of Advent is all about and the Church is offering us another opportunity to encounter the Lord personally and to make that encounter a permanent experience. We should place our hope in Christ for while there is hope there is life. For it is because of the Lord that we can hope once again, knowing that beyond the sufferings of humanity due to sin and death, there is Light that dispels the falsehoods of evil and the despair of darkness that covers the whole world.

LET US PRAY: Lord God, as we embrace this season in expectation of the coming of Christ your Son, may the Holy Spirit inspire us to have the right disposition that will able us to embrace the Lord when he comes. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen. Happy Sunday and God bless you.