Advent

2nd Week of Advent, Tuesday

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In today’s First Reading Isaiah describes the Lord not only coming, but caring for his people as a sheep cares for its flock. The Lord is powerful, but so tender that he imagines us as his lambs and ewes. Despite this idyllic portrait of pastoral life sheep can also be smelly, filthy, and ill-tempered. Just like those shepherds will be the night of Our Lord’s nativity, the life of a shepherd often means time out in the dark and cold caring for his flock, who don’t follow a schedule of 9 to 5 and, like a curious child, often obliviously go wandering into trouble, intentionally or unintentionally.

That is a perfect portrait of the Incarnation. Our Heavenly Father does not want to write off one single soul. Not one. Our Lord in his Incarnation has opted to leave aside the bright joy of eternal glory in order to come into the dark and cold night of our sin and seek out each one of us. Not just all of us; every single one of us. Sin scatters, and Our Lord has come to gather us together again. In the end he’ll chase down a fleeing soul all the way to the brink of death, as he did the Good Thief being crucified alongside him at Calvary. He spares no effort.

Our Lord is coming this Christmas to bring you out of the cold. Don’t hide from him.

Readings: Isaiah 40:1–11; Psalm 96:1–3, 10–13; Matthew 18:12–14. See also 24th Sunday in Ordinary Time, Cycle C,  4th Sunday of Lent, Cycle C, 2nd Week of Lent, Saturday, and 31st Week in Ordinary Time, Thursday.

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2nd Sunday of Advent, Cycle A

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Today’s readings remind us that the coming of Christ brings judgment, but also justice and mercy. John the Baptist is the last and most blessed prophet because he has the privilege of seeing the Messiah come, the Messiah to which so many of his predecessors had given witness. Today’s First Reading reminds us that the Messiah comes to usher in true justice: he goes beyond appearances to judge hearts, and he knows events as they truly happened, not just piecing together a case through rumors and innuendos. His justice will usher in peace: Isaiah portrays this peace speaking of predatory and dangerous animals who lay down alongside those they hunted, and nature itself will experience an unshakable calm.

Isaiah goes on to say that the Messiah will also be “set up as a signal for the nations.” Not just the Jewish nation, but all nations. Paul in today’s Second Reading reminds the Christians converted from paganism that they too were welcomed by Christ for the glory of God, therefore they too should glorify God for his mercy toward them. Christ comes this Christmas to bring us not only justice and judgment, but mercy and peace as well if we welcome it, and he offers it to everyone.

John the Baptist in today’s Gospel shows the way to welcome the Messiah: sorrow for our sins. It’s no coincidence that the liturgical colors of Advent are the same of the those of Lent: it is a penitential time, a time to take stock of whether we’ve welcomed Christ or others during the year. However, this time is also aglow with hope, since Advent represents the long dark centuries when humanity, lost in sin, seemed hopeless. Now the Messiah is at hand to usher in justice and peace. Just as John warns the Pharisees and Sadducees today, we can’t rest on our laurels. We struggle with sin throughout our lives, so we also have abundant opportunities for repentance.

Advent is only a week underway. Let’s reflect on how we can make the Lord’s path to our heart as straight as possible.

Readings: Isaiah 11:1–10; Psalm 72:1–2, 7–8, 12–13, 17; Romans 15:4–9; Matthew 3:1–12.

1st Week of Advent, Monday

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Today’s Gospel reminds us that Our Lord was not the Messiah everyone expected. The Messiah was supposed to overthrow pagans and oppressors, and the Romans in his time were occupying Palestine. Yet Our Lord finds something in this centurion that he hadn’t even found in the people who’d been prepared for his coming: a great faith. It’s not easy to surprise Our Lord, and in the case of the centurion he is pleasantly surprised.

Our Lord also reminds us today that he came to save everyone, not just the Jews. Anyone who believes in him will receive healing and grace, pagan or otherwise. Advent should be a time of joyful expectation for everyone, because we’re celebrating the coming of Our Lord to give everyone an opportunity for salvation.

Even baptized Christians sometimes live like pagans. Advent is a time to start fresh. The centurion mustered his faith for the good of his servant, not just for himself. Let’s show concern for others this Advent. It’s the first step toward turning away from ourselves and, in faith, turning toward Our Lord.

Readings: Isaiah 4:2–6; Psalm 122:1–9; Matthew 8:5–11. See also 12th Week in Ordinary Time, Saturday.

1st Sunday in Advent, Cycle A

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Today in the celebration of the Eucharist there’s a change of color of vestments to celebrate a change of season. It’s not just that the weather is getting colder: today we begin a new season in the liturgical year and a new liturgical year. Yesterday was the end of the last liturgical year, and symbolized the end of time when Christ will come to definitively overthrow sin and death so that we can live forever with him and everyone we love. We celebrated that last Sunday by celebrating the Solemnity of Christ the King.

This Sunday we begin the season of Advent. “Advent” means “coming.” Last Sunday we celebrated the Second Coming of Christ, which is going to come in the future; during Advent we prepare to celebrate the First Coming of Christ. Christ’s First Coming happened on Christmas. Actually, it happened at the Annunciation, which was when he became man and why that feast is also called the Feast of the Incarnation, but he was born at Christmas, which is also called the Feast of the Nativity.

During the liturgical year we celebrate all the mysteries of Christ’s life, from the beginning of time, even before he became man and came to earth, until the end of time, when he will return and lead us to eternal life with him and everyone we love. We also celebrate the whole history of salvation during the liturgical year. In Advent we celebrate the start of the history of salvation, before Christ’s First Coming to earth at Christmas.

In today’s Gospel Jesus is speaking about his Second Coming, but the question for both Comings of Christ is the same: How are you getting ready? How do you answer that question? It’s going to influence how you live Advent a lot. Is it “finally!”? Is it “yeah, right…”? Is it “yikes”? Those answers are not answers to what gifts you’re going to get, what family you’re going to see, or how much you’re going to eat: they’re answers to how you are getting ready for Christ’s coming at Christmas.

The Second Reading and the Gospel today remind us that he is coming at an unexpected moment. For the Israelites that was nothing new, but what they didn’t imagine was that the Messiah, the Savior of the World, would come in such an unexpected way: as a little baby in a manger. What’s your response to the Savior of the World coming as a little baby and lying in a manger? Maybe the question “Are you getting ready?” takes on a different light when you consider how he is coming. For the Israelites, the coming of the Messiah was going to be at the end of time: he was coming to defeat all their enemies and clean house. Instead he came as a little baby, way ahead of schedule. How did they respond? Some saw a little baby in a manger and said, “he’s not the Messiah, come on….” Others didn’t even believe in a Messiah to begin with, and didn’t change their opinion: “yeah, sure, the Savior of the World…right.” Christians are often on the fence: Some have the same attitude as the Israelites and the skeptics, but others are saying, “yikes,” because the Second Coming is all they have on their mind, and they know they’re not ready.

Advent is a time to get ready the real Christian way, just as today’s Psalm says: “Let us go rejoicing!” Rejoicing is the Christian way to respond to the question Jesus is asking in the Gospel today. In today’s First Reading Isaiah prophesies the coming of the Messiah as time of peace and blessings for all nations forever – that is cause for rejoicing. Isaiah’s prophecy began to be fulfilled in the First Coming, when the Savior of the World was born, and will be fulfilled in the Second.

In the First Coming and the Second Coming Christ is not letting us go it alone. When St. Paul in the Second Reading today reminds us that “our salvation is nearer now that we first believed,” he’s reminding us that Christ is nearer to us now because he is one of us. God became man. At Christmas we’ll be celebrating the fact that God is with us as one of us. We have to do our part, we have to change our lives, but shielded by the “armor of light,” “putting on the Lord Jesus Christ,” as St. Paul encourages us to do: by living a Christian life we are helping Christ to fulfill that prophecy of Isaiah.

Let’s begin Advent by preparing ourselves joyfully for Christ’s coming. The Lord has given us a whole liturgical season to get ready for his Coming: four whole weeks. Ask him to help you keep him in the center of your preparation for Christmas. Christmas is going to be a time for family, friends, and rest, but it is also a time for rejoicing, because the Savior of the World is going to be born. Let’s start Advent with joyous expectation.

Readings: Isaiah 2:1–5; Psalm 122:1–9; Romans 13:11–14; Matthew 24:37–44. See also 21st Week in Ordinary Time, Thursday.

Advent, December 24th, Mass in the Morning

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Today’s Gospel is a prayer said every morning for the Liturgy of the Hours: the Benedictus of Zechariah, John the Baptist’s father. As we saw yesterday Zechariah regained his voice after he’d lacked faith in the promise the angel Gabriel had made to him that he would have a son and that his son would be the prophet immediately before the coming of the Lord. Zechariah’s first words are in praise of God for the coming of the Lord to save his people and for the blessings he had showered upon his son.

With the coming of the Lord Zechariah rejoices that the promises made as far back as Abraham are about to be fulfilled. Today’s First Reading reminds us that the coming of the Messiah is the coming of stability and peace for Israel forever, and a definitive defeat for her enemies. For Israelites who might only see this is something socio-political, as well as those who see a spiritual and religious reign where evil is definitively cast out it is good news. Salvation doesn’t begin with Our Lord’s Passion; it begins with his Incarnation and birth. The minute his little feet hit the manger the work of our salvation has begun in earnest.

As we’ve seen in the last few days before Christmas the Holy Spirit is eager to fill us with joy and a deeper awareness of the mysteries of salvation unfolding in these days. Just as the Spirit showered down these graces upon Mary and all of John the Baptist’s family, let’s ask the Spirit to help us rejoice this evening and tomorrow at the birth of our salvation. At the feet of the manger Our Lord wants to continue to work salvation in us; let’s open our hearts to him.

Readings: 2 Samuel 7:1–5, 8b–12, 14a, 16; Psalm 89:2–5, 27, 29; Luke 1:67–79.