Deacon Steve's Homily, First Sunday of Advent - Jesus is worth waiting for

Good morning!  Well Advent is upon us and Christmas is only 24 days away. The retailers are complaining because there are less shopping days then there normally are between Thanksgiving and Christmas. Despite what our culture has to say, Advent is not about Christmas shopping.  What is Advent all about? We read in paragraph 39 from The General Norms for the Liturgical Year and Calendar:

  “Advent has a twofold character: as a season to prepare for Christmas when Christ's first coming to us is remembered; as a season when that remembrance directs the mind and heart to await Christ's Second Coming at the end of time. Advent is thus a period for devout and joyful expectation.”

My friends, Advent is a period where we are called to look ahead to the coming of our Lord and Savior. We are called during this season to remember what Jesus Christ means to all humanity.  During the first 2 weeks of Advent we look ahead and focus on the 2^nd coming of Jesus at the end of time.  It’s a time, unknown to all, that we can only anticipate.  During the last 2 weeks of Advent we focus on the upcoming birth of Christ, on Christmas itself.

We hear in our Gospel, Jesus’ words “Be watchful! Be alert! You do not know when the time will come.” The time that Jesus is speaking of is his Second coming.   We need to be ready, we need to be alert, and we need to wait. Being watchful and alert requires some effort on our part.  We need to be a people of hope, a people who long for Jesus. 

In longing for Jesus, we prepare ourselves spiritually to meet Him.  We cleanse ourselves, turning away from sin, while seeking God’s mercy and forgiveness.  Think about it, if you are about to meet someone for the first time, someone that is quite special to you, don’t you clean up and put on your best clothes?  Most people do. Shouldn’t we do that for Jesus, too? I can’t think of a better way to meet Jesus then to be prepared and to be cleansed. Paul points out in our 2^nd reading,

‘Brothers and sisters: You know the time; it is the hour now for you to awake from sleep. For our salvation is nearer now than when we first believed.’

Paul is telling the Romans that the time is now. These words are true for us today – ‘it is the hour now’ for each of us to prepare for Jesus coming.

Because we don’t know when Jesus will come again, we need to be a patient people

waiting for that glorious day, ready and eager to meet him. Today, waiting is a word that most people don’t want to hear.  We expect things to happen quickly.  We live in a culture that says ‘why wait when you can have it now?”  Most people today don’t want to wait to pay cash for something, rather they ‘charge it’ now and pay for it later.   Most of us, especially me, don’t enjoy long waits at the restaurant waiting for a table to clear.  Most of us don’t like long lines at the checkout counters at stores.   We don’t like to wait in lines at the amusement parks, theaters, or ball games.  We have become a people who expect things to happen quickly because we don’t want to wait.  

Sometimes though, waiting for something to happen is better than receiving it immediately. This brings to mind a childhood experience of mine.  My brothers and sisters would always wake up early on Christmas morning, and as soon as Mom and Dad awoke we would open our gifts.   Later in the morning the entire family would go to mass. Those were magical days. 

One year, though, Mom and Dad decided that we would open our gifts after we went to the 7:00 mass on Christmas morning.  I was probably 9 or 10 years old at the time. There were rules, though.  First of all, we couldn’t sneak into the basement early where the tree and the gifts were. And secondly, while at mass we had to behave; otherwise we would have to wait till the evening to open our gifts.

WOW – that seemed as though it was the longest mass that I had ever attended.  All through mass I kept wondering what gifts were under the Christmas tree for me.  Was I going to get the toy that was at the top of my list? The anticipation was at an all time high.  Fr., I hate to admit it, but my mind wasn’t on the Liturgy that morning. I couldn’t wait to get home.   In fact, when we did get home, I ran from the car to the front door and, from the front door to the basement to see all the gifts under the Christmas tree.  What a wonderful sight it was!  What a memorable Christmas that year!

As I reflected on that Christmas, it was obvious that the wait that I had that morning actually heightened the experience of opening the gifts.  I learned a valuable lesson that year. I learned that waiting builds anticipation.  Anticipation builds appreciation.  And appreciation builds joy and thankfulness.   

My friends, this Advent season we need to prepare ourselves for the coming of Jesus through prayer, reflection, and the sacraments.  As we prepare ourselves this Advent, let’s remember that in ‘watchful waiting’ we can be ready to meet our Savior.   Let’s remember that waiting builds anticipation; anticipation builds appreciation, and appreciation builds joy and thankfulness for our Savior Jesus Christ.  May this Advent season be the most memorable of all!   Because, my friends, Jesus is worth waiting for!

God Bless you all!

Deacon Ron's Homily for the First Sunday of Advent : Preparing for the journey to the most joyful destination

As you can see by the purple vestments something is different.    We are now in the season of Advent, preparing for our Lord’s coming.   We start Advent with Jesus coming again in Glory, and finish getting ready for our Lord’s arrival as an infant in the most humble surroundings.  

I’d like to welcome all of our guests who have traveled here for Thanksgiving to be with us.  With Christmas just four weeks away and Spring break coming in four months I’m sure some of you are planning to go on a journey. Since we’ve had some really cold weather, I’m sure some of you are looking forward to getting out of the cold.  Maybe you’re dreaming about relaxing on the beach.  Or you may like the cold weather and are looking forward to skiing in the mountains.  Rather than a place you may be longing to see such as a grandparent or friend.   You really enjoy their company and you just can wait to be with them. Whether it’s a place where you really enjoy going, or people you really long to be with, the anticipation of getting there is where the excitement of the journey begins.  

What do we do when a trip is coming up?  As the date approaches we start counting down the days.   We tell our friends about the trip.   We get distracted from work or school by daydreaming.   We just can’t wait to get there.   Waiting and anticipating is a joyful part of the journey.

However, every journey requires some work to get ready.  We have to plan how to get there which requires studying maps or consulting our favorite search engine to find the quickest way to get there.   We may need a travel agent to guide us to the best transportation or places to stay.   We have to pack and arrange care for our pets and stopping the mail.   There’s a lot of work to do for a journey, but we make sure to take care of it because we know the destination will bring us joy.  

In the first reading the prophet Isaiah speaks of journey.   Isaiah tells us that all nations will stream toward the LORD’s Mountain.   This will be a place of peace, one that the Israelites were yearning for.  They had been under persecution, and an image of being free from persecution and strife was something they longed for.   He tells us the instruments of violence and death, spears and swords, would be turned into tools that will sustain life, pruning hooks and plowshares.  There will no longer be rising of swords and no one will train for war.    This was a vision of peace and joy, which we all yearn for.

We’re on the same journey to the LORD’s mountain, but when will it be? 

We can plan in a timely manner for Christmas and Spring break since we know when those are.  Jesus tells us: ”you don’t know the day the LORD will come.” , but we do know the Son of Man will be coming.  Since we don’t know when the Lord’s coming will be, we have to continually prepare.

How do we prepare?  Jesus tells us to stay awake or said another way, to be aware of what we are doing every day.  When we do this, Jesus’ coming in glory is one we can be ready for and look forward to with joy.   The cares of our world can wear us down, and can sidetrack us from our heavenly destination.   But if we think of the joy this destination brings, it keeps us motivated to always be ready for the journey.   Moreover, keep in mind that going to our favorite places is only temporary.  But when we get to the mountain of the LORD, we will be there forever.  Can you imagine being in your favorite place forever?

So how do we prepare to be ready every day?   This does not require us to quit our jobs, school, taking care of family, or even having fun.   Jesus told us that people continued their daily lives, eating and drinking, marrying, and working.   The difference is made through being aware of our relationship with God every day. How can we do that?

First, we need to anticipate the destination with joy, keeping in mind it will be more joyful than any of our favorite places.   This is not a journey to fear, as we will be going to the LORD’s mountain forever!

Second, using the Bible, Basic Instructions Before Leaving Earth, as our map, and the Church as our GPS, which is God’s Plan for Salvation, to guide us on the right way when we get off track.

Third, packing our bags with ”the armor of Light”, by loving God and neighbor, so we can “put on the Lord Jesus Christ” as St Paul tells us. We need to leave behind works of darkness, such as petty arguments and selfish thoughts.

Fourth, praying every day. Start off and finish each day in prayer, thanking God for the gifts he’s given us, asking for help we need, and listening to were he’s guiding us.  Also pray throughout the day, even when we are on vacation, at work, or school.   It can be as simple as praying Jesus’ name throughout the day or doing good works for others in Christ’s name.

As we continue on this advent journey, let us pray that we all stay awake, alert, and be aware of our relationship with Christ every day.