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Today is the first Sunday in Advent. In today’s Gospel, Marks makes his point in a straightforward language – we, as the gate keepers need to be watchful and alert so that the master doesn’t find us asleep when he suddenly comes. This calls for readiness, alertness and waiting in anticipation.
Advent is often a happy and exciting time; The coming days to Christmas will get busier, exciting, brighter and louder. Though we may know the date of Christmas when God comes to us as Baby Jesus are we also awake to the coming of God to the world in his Glory at the end of times? Are we awake to the coming of God in the world today?
We are to stay awake so that we are ready to welcome Christ into the world when He comes. Being awake also calls us to be alert to the coming of God into our lives and into the world that we live in. We watch for the times when God extends His love to us, when we can serve His love by serving others. We watch for the opportunities to unite ourselves closer to His love through prayer and sacrifice. We wait. We watch. We watch for opportunities to grow. Advent, the time of watching reminds us that our entire lives must be a watching for ways that we can grow more spiritual, grow closer to Christ.
Our Advent then, has to be persistent and unceasing and this demands a vigilant heart: a heart on guard. It requires persistence in prayer which opens us to God’s will and being of service to His will. Being awake calls us to practice awareness, noticing and being present to God in ourselves and among us and the world around us.
Let us step up seeking to; find, love and please God this advent and always.
