Homily For First Sunday of Advent Year B, 3rd December, 2023

Readings: Is 63:16-17,64:1,3-8 , Ps.80, 1Cor 1:3-9, Mark. 13:33-37

Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Emenike Onyia.

 

KEEP HOPE ALIVE AND YOU WILL STAY AWAKE FOR THE COMING OF THE LORD

 

Today is a special Sunday in the life of the Holy Mother Church because it is the first Sunday of Advent, and 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, of which we are celebrating year B in this year’s Advent season. The season of Advent as we know is one of the important seasons in the life of 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 to come or the coming of someone great, in this case, the coming of Our Lord Jesus.

 

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 second, the return of Jesus at the Second Coming “ the parousia”. This is why the Advent season is divided into two parts the first which runs from the first Sunday until the 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’ these themes run within the four Sundays in Advent. 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 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 lives. Hence, this is the season of reconciliation between us and God, when we have to reexamine our ways of life. It is a time of reconfiguration of our lives to that of Christ our Lord 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 take place by our ways of doing things, our desire for conversion and holiness, which shapes our lives more to that of Christ who showers his love, mercy and compassion to all.

 

 This is what the readings of this season call our attention to, especially in the twofold coming of Christ as we have it in today’s readings. Thus, in the first reading, we heard from the prophet Isaiah the lamentations over the misfortune that has befallen the people of God who now hope for the coming of the Messiah. In our second reading, we heard how the people of Corinth are confident that as they wait for Christ's coming in glory, they will remain steadfast in bearing witness to the gifts God has bestowed on them. While the Gospel urges us to be awake at all times for our salvation is very near so that we will not be taken by surprise and unprepared.

 

Dear friends, today, we are called to be ready, we are called to repentance, and we are called to embrace the new life the Lord is offering us. We are called to a life of constant struggle towards perfection.  we are called to keep hope alive and we will stay awake for the coming of the Lord. That’s 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 and this Light is what keeps our hope alive.

 

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 enable us to embrace the Lord when he comes. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen. Happy Sunday and God bless you.