November 30/First Sunday of Advent
Therefore you also must be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an unexpected hour.
~ Matt 24.44
On this first day of Advent, in a time when the world already feels unpredictable and even perilous, Matthew sounds a suitably ominous note. Today’s Gospel is almost Hitchcockian in its dire warnings to the unprepared. A devastating flood that sweeps away the complacent as they eat, drink, and are merry. Two men in the field: “one will be taken, and one will be left.” Two women at the mill: “one will be taken, and one will be left.” (The repetition is chilling.) A thief breaking in on an unprepared householder. It is a mighty challenge both to maintain our equilibrium in a world that feels increasingly off-balance, and to prepare for the unpredictable coming of the Lord. It may seem insurmountable– until we understand that true preparation does not entail a checklist or a perpetual state of heightened vigilance, but a way of life. Being ready for the coming of the Son of Man does not mean that we remain on edge; rather, it means that we live each day in ways that open us to God’s grace. It is an ongoing practice, not a one-off action. Indeed, in the face of daily choices – to visit someone who is grieving or avoid the discomfort, to hold the tongue or let loose the zinger, to go to church or hit the golf course or the Pilates class – to choose well is to make ourselves truly ready. We are preparing for God’s coming if (as Isaiah proclaims) we “walk in the light of the Lord.” We are preparing for God’s coming if (as Paul instructs the Roman Christian community) we “conduct ourselves properly.” Such is the preparation that we embark upon today, as we seek to be instruments of God’s love. As a new church year begins, are we ready?
Loving God, As the Advent season begins, grant me the desire to walk every day in your love, and the grace to fulfill that desire. Amen.
For today’s readings, click here https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/113025.cfm
To hear “Will Jesus Find Us Watching,” from the John Rogers a cappella Gospel hymns, click here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J4RKhty45yY
