DATE : 29/11/2020
EVENT : 1st Sunday of Advent (Year B)
COLOUR: VIOLET/PURPLE
READINGS : Isaiah 63:16-17; 64:1.3-8; Responsorial Psalm 80:2ac and 3b.15-16a.18-19; 1Cor. 1:3-9; Gospel Accl. Ps.85:7; Gospel. Mark 13:33-37.
THEME: WHAT IS ADVENT
INTRODUCTION:
Greetings beloved people of God and fellow pilgrims. I welcome you to the 1st Sunday of Advent. This Sunday beloved friends, I wish to reflect with us on the theme, " What is Advent". Beloved, for those of us with strong Catholic background, we would recall that there are several seasons, times or celebrations within each liturgical year of the Church. These seasons in their sequential order include: Advent, Christmas, First and short Ordinary Time, Lent, Easter/Pentecost and the Second and Long Ordinary Time. Each of these seasons have their corresponding colour and its significance. Like the above list shows, Advent is the first season of each liturgical calendar of the Church, and purple or violet is used to represent it, a colour signifying contrition and penitence. The word "Advent" is derived from the Latin word adventus , meaning "coming," which is a translation of the Greek word "parousia", meaning appearing or unveiling. For centuries, Advent has been a time of spiritual preparation as well as cheerful anticipation of the nativity of the saviour of the world. Advent is the period preceding the Christmas season and it begins on the Sunday nearest November 30, the feast day of St. Andrew the Apostle, and covers four Sundays before 25th December. Because the day it begins changes from year to year, the length of each Advent season varies.
More so, an ancient Catechism of the Church describes Advent spirituality beautifully, when it states that "as the Church celebrates the liturgy of Advent each year, she makes present the expectancy of the Messiah, for by sharing in the long preparation for the Saviour's first coming, the faithful renew their ardent desire for his second coming which is definitely sure to happen soon (emphasis mine). Beloved, just as lent, in which we become contrite, advent season is meant to help us prepare penitentially so as to be worthy and ready to receive Jesus when he comes anew at Christmas. But even more, we are supposed to be much more prepared to meet Christ at his second coming, a coming in which he shall judge us according to the merits of our deeds or misdeeds. Hear me child of God, like the prophet Isaiah prophesied in today's first reading, 'no ear has heard and no eye has seen what God has packaged for those who trust him, who obey him, who wait expectantly for him, who keep their hearts clean from all defilement, and those who have washed and prepared themselves by the blood of the lamb for the banquet feast.
Beloved, while we are still waiting for the eventual and sure coming of Jesus, we are not meant to be mere passive waiters, sitting idly and marking time. No, God desires us to be busy, for he has work for us to do. Namely that we should get busy loving, honoring, serving him and loving, honoring, and serving our families, neighbors, and communities as well. The Lord also urges us to be vigilant and active in prayer that his kingdom may come quickly and that his will be constantly done on earth as it is usually done in heaven. We are not only to watch for Christ, but to watch with Christ. The Lord wants us to have our hearts and minds fixed on his promises. For just like Christ admonished us in the Gospel of today, we must constantly be on our guard and stay awake, because we do not know when the time will come. I pray that God may give us the grace to use this year's Advent to adequately rid our lives of all sinful rubbish and baggages and so merit the blessings of his coming at Christmas. God bless you.
OH that today you would listen to his voice harden not your heart (Ps.95:7-8).
LET US PRAY: Lord Jesus, free me from complacency, from the grip of sin and worldliness, and from attachments to things which pass away. May I always be eager to receive your word and be ready to meet you when you come again....Amen
HAPPY FIRST SUNDAY OF ADVENT TO YOU BELOVED FRIENDS.
@Fada Emmanuel Nnamdi Megwara MSP.⛪
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