Homily: December 3, 2023, First Sunday of Advent (Jesus Coming)

 "It is like a man traveling abroad. He leaves home and places his servants in charge, each with his own work."

Have you ever been in the same situation as the servants in this parable, where you were given responsibilities to take charge of while the person in authority took leave for some time?

Did you accomplish your tasks?

Or have you ever gone away for a while and left others in charge of your property or duties?

Did things get done as you had expected?

We are now in a new liturgical year. This year we will be taking readings from cycle B and the gospel texts will be from Mark and then from John later, since Mark’s gospel is short.

Today is the first day of the new liturgical year, so ‘happy new year’!

Though it is the beginning of the year, the readings seem to be warning about the end times, reminding us to prepare for the second coming of Christ.

Well, why not? ‘Begin with the end in mind’ is one of the seven habits of highly effective people, according to the author Stephen Covey.

Religiously, I think it is the right approach too, for us to become highly spiritual Christians.

We believe and know that Jesus will come again, but we do not know when. So, from the beginning of our journey, let us form the habit to be watchful and alert, as Jesus advises. Let us practice with this season of Advent.

Think about it, have you ever fully prepared yourself well for Christmas? Not the worldly way, but the spiritual way, as Jesus Himself would have wanted.

Like a family preparing to receive a new baby. The pregnant woman would watch her diet, monitor her health, keep safe and do all the right things to ensure that both herself and her baby-in-womb would have a most joyful first meeting at birth. And in normal circumstances, the whole family supports her and does their part to prepare well for that day.

Have you ever done all the right things to prepare yourself to have a most joyful first meeting with Jesus?

The birth of Jesus may be a historical event, and every Christmas is just a commemoration of that past event, but seriously, have you truly encountered Him personally in your life? Are you well prepared for that?

If we are not ready to receive him for the first time, how could we be ready to receive Him at His second coming?

Be watchful and alert – to what? Not ‘when’.

If you are a gatekeeper to keep watch, please do not sleep on the job but do your job well. Keep watch!

So the same for all of us, we have been given “each with his own work” as the parable stated. We each have our role, our job and duty as a Catholic Christian.

We are a husband, wife, mother, father, child, brother, sister, friend. We are a priest, teacher, businessman, nurse, receptionist, homemaker, student. Whatever roles in our relationships, whatever professions we are engaged in, we have the same project – kingdom building.

Wherever we are and whatever we are in life, we are called to use our talent, time and treasure to share the love of Christ, to build His kingdom here on earth as it is in heaven. 

We cannot be lazy, we cannot sleep on the job, we have to “do small things with great love’ as Mother Teresa said.

Let us be watchful, that we put in love in all our thoughts, words and deeds as we go about our days leading to Christmas.

Let us be alert to other people’s needs and feelings as we prepare to celebrate the joyous season. Are there people around us who might not have anything while we have everything?

And when the day comes, may we not just be surrounded by the warm glow from lightbulbs we hang on trees, but may we be the warm glow that has lighted up someone’s life.

If we can do this at every Christmas, we will always be ready for Christ’s second coming, whenever it may be.

May you have a meaningful Advent. Amen.