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Reflection by Liam Doherty; Catholic Identity and Religious Education Adviser;
The imminent arrival of a special guest brings about an anticipation that births excitement. This excitement can bring joy and anxiety in equal measure. The irony is that along with the happiness, joy and hope we have with the expectation of seeing the guest, comes the anxiety of preparing ourselves and our homes. We ponder and fret over whether we are ready, whether we have done enough to prepare. Will they like their accommodation, meals, conversation etc?
In my childhood, I recall fondly the momentous levels of excitement within my family when news came that my Granny or my Grandad was coming out from Ireland to visit. The incredible love that we had, and the fascination that we felt for them infected us with a deep desire to make them feel welcome and loved. It led to a feverish preparation. What room would they sleep in? Did we need to prepare new bedding? Did the house require a lick of paint? Do the lawns and gardens need some work? This preparation and excitement were symbolic representations of the deep love we had for them, the profound honour that we bestowed upon them.
In the season of Advent, as Catholics we also immerse ourselves in a deep state of anticipation. The anticipation of the coming of our Saviour Jesus Christ. We remember and celebrate the incomprehensible moment in time when God so selflessly and lovingly entered into our history in an event as human as the birth of a child, but as extraordinary and profound as the Incarnation; the moment when our transcendent and eternal God shared our humanity: our joys, hopes and dreams, but also our frailties, our faults and our vulnerabilities in the person of Jesus, the very human son of Mary and Joseph. But Advent is more than that, for not only do we remember the great guest we welcomed that Christmas morning 2000 years ago, but we also set our gaze forward, when Christ will return as “the Son of Man coming in a cloud with power and great glory.” The expectation and anticipation of this second coming brings joy and hope, as well as some trepidation, anxiety and even fear among some Christians.
Our focus during Advent should not be upon matters that are beyond our control, but on how we live our lives. The first two readings look with anticipation for God’s mercy and justice, and they both focus on the importance of how our lives can demonstrate God’s power and presence alive in our world right here and now. In the First Reading, Jeremiah delves into the profound hope and expectation of his audience which looked to the restoration of the people of Israel as God’s favoured by focussing on how they should live and act according to the Covenantal Law. In the Second Reading Paul emphasises to the Thessalonians that their focus should be on the community’s ability to live and model Jesus’ love and life to all those they meet. His call is for them to live as true Christians, and he prays that they “make more and more progress in the kind of life that you are meant to live.” Both readings help us to understand that living as a community of love, brings about the advent of God’s mercy and reign.
The Gospel today reflects the figurative and metaphorical language of the apocalyptic tradition. It is highly symbolic and easily misinterpreted. Luke deviates a little from his normal method of a narrative, teaching and parable format and he purposefully uses a writing style reminiscent of prophets in the Old Testament. Luke’s community had been expecting Jesus to return with immediacy to establish his Kingdom on earth, but at that time somewhere in the late 70s and 80s of the First Century, new generations of Christians were springing up while others were dying without having witnessed Christ’s return. This reality was a shock and a challenge to many, and it took a lot of theologising and recontextualising for the community to make sense of this. This Gospel passage emphasises the second coming of Christ. Here Jesus reveals that there will be ‘signs in the sun and moon and stars’ when he returns, but the focus is on the life lived by the Christians, rather than the details of the when and how of Christ’s return. Jesus tells his disciples to ‘Stay awake, praying at all times…’ , the emphasis is on the love and mercy that the people demonstrate. These are the signs that Christ’s return, and God’s mercy are imminent.
Unfortunately, many Christians adopt a literal interpretation of these texts, with a fixation upon the signs and the time of Christ’s return. They focus on the frightening aspects of the text and make literal interpretations of the symbolism and figurative language. They neglect the underlying focus on living their lives in imitation of Christ and focus on the apocalyptic events, and the judgement of those who are deemed to have failed to meet God’s expectations. The focus in the readings today is not to become obsessed with the when and how of Christ’s return, or to focus solely on the failings of individuals. It is to prepare for his coming by staying awake and always praying. It is a call to be proactive in how we live out the Gospel through authentic Christian lives full of the love of Christ which reveal the fruits of the Kingdom of heaven and the Reign of God.
What does it mean then to be ‘Advent People’, to be people of hope and excitement, longing for the arrival of our Lord? How do we honour the Incarnation at Christmas time and prepare ourselves for the second coming? We can look to today’s readings which emphasise the need to act with love, faith and mercy. In preparing our home adequately for my grandparents, we didn’t focus only on the date and time of their arrival. We focussed on preparing our home so that they would feel honoured and loved. We opened our hearts to express the deep appreciation and privilege we had in hosting our guests. This also meant loving and honouring each other and working together as a family to create a culture of love as this was the very reason that they longed to visit us. This life of love is a powerful invitation to Christ and a sign that we are ready for him to return.
In the Incarnation of the first Christmas, God shared in our humanity and in Christ’s Resurrection, we shared in God’s divinity. Our responsibility is to make Christ’s Kingdom a reality in the here and now. We don’t need to wait for signs in the moon or the sun. We don’t need to worry and fret over the return of Christ because we can become the visible sacraments of Christ in the world through the lives we lead. Each time we extend ourselves in loving others or make ourselves vulnerable through love, and each time we bear our cross and follow the example of Jesus, we demonstrate Christ’s reign of love and mercy here on earth. When we welcome the stranger, or offer comfort to the afflicted, we are truly Advent People preparing ourselves for the return of Christ.
