not when but how - 1st sunday Advent C
The second coming is no
longer something we look back to but something we look forward to. It is no
longer a commemoration, a remembrance but something that we anticipate,
something that we look forward to. It is as Luke describes in our gospel, the Son of Man coming in a cloud with power and great
glory.
This is advent. This is not just
to prepare us to remember the first Christmas.
This is also to help us to prepare for the his coming again in glory.
Today in our gospel on
this first Sunday of Advent Luke is preparing us not for Christmas, at least
not yet, but for the coming again in glory.
There are two things which I would like to highlight on Luke’s gospel.
First it is not a
question of when but how. Luke seems to
be less concerned with the question as to when Christ return. He does not emphasize the concern for timing,
although definitely Jesus will return. “When”
is not important. For Luke it is more
important to be concerned about the how – how do I live my life now in such a
way that I will be ready to welcome Christ on his return? Jesus said in our gospel “Beware that your hearts do not become
drowsy from carousing and
drunkenness and the anxieties of
daily life.” Jesus is telling us to
avoid the two extremes – the extreme of getting caught up with excessive
pleasures which the world offers or the other extreme of getting caught up with
anxieties and worries. Sobra nga
pangalipay kag sobra man nga palibog.
Balanseha lang. Indi ka man
maglina-on pero indi ka man mag-party-party lang. Balanseha lang ang kabuhi mo. What is important is that your heart does not
become drowsy. What is a heart that has
become drowsy? It is a heart than can no
longer feel what others feel, a heart that is no longer sensitive to the needs
of others. It is a heart blinded only by
its own concerns and needs. It is an
insensitive heart, a selfish heart, a heart that has grown cold. So do not emphasize the when of Christ
coming. It is more important to be
concerned about how we live in order that we come prepared for his coming.
Second, Jesus said that the foreboding events happening around us are
signs of our redemption. “There will be
signs in the sun, the moon, and the stars, and
on earth nations will be in dismay, perplexed
by the roaring of the sea and the wave.” In short there will be troubles ahead,
there will be difficulties, trials, there will be disturbances, there will be
suffering and pain. But Jesus said,
these are signs of our redemption, these are signs of our salvation. Thus in all these Jesus did not say “take
cover and hide, build yourself a bunker.” No.
Instead Jesus said “stand erect and raise your heads.” These are signs
of our redemption – the troubles around us are signs that we are being saved.
Many of us are victim of this worldview isn’t it? We look at pain, disease, suffering,
heartaches and problems and crisis as evil, sickness as punishment even, as a
sign that Jesus is not in our life. But
no. These are signs, Luke insists, that
we are being redeemed. You are not being
punished. No, you are being redeemed,
you are being saved. Jesus is winning
you over, Jesus is pulling you to himself.
So stand erect and raise your heads!
PS Today is seminary Sunday. This Sunday is to remind you that as a
community we have the duty to think about the future of our church. First we have to support vocations to the
priesthood, to encourage our young to offer their life to the church as a
priest or as a religious, to pray for vocations. Second we have the duty to support the
seminary. The seminary cannot survive
without the help of people like you. And
if the seminary cannot survive then it cannot provide priests for the
archdiocese. That is why our colecta
today is intended for the seminary.
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