First Sunday of Advent
The Lord is near. He comes to save us
The New Liturgical Year begins with the first Sunday of Advent. The Church calls her faithful once more to a deeper reflection on the mystery of Christ, which is never exhausted in the dimension of man's time frame. With Christ, who is the beginning and end of everything, humanity is on a pilgrimage to the fullness of the Kingdom of God, which he himself initiated through his incarnation, the saving passion on the cross and the resurrection.
Advent is synonymous with the hope of Christ's return. He constantly comes to us in his Word, in the holy sacraments. However, we also look forward to His final coming at the end of time when we will all know the whole truth about God. Therefore, during Advent, the Word of God sets before the faithful the task of increased spiritual vigilance, of opening hearts and minds to Christ. We are to be well prepared to meet the Lord so that this day will not surprise us "like a thief in the night".
Advent liturgy invites us to seek and discover closeness to God, to recognize the signs of his presence in the history of the world and humanity. Accepting and meditating on this truth every day, especially in the difficult moments of our everyday life, we need to realize that Christ himself fills the hearts of believers with hope and joy.
"The Lord is near" (cf. Phil 4: 5), this is the truth from which man should draw confidence and comfort. In our today's difficult reality, this truth must be rediscovered. The Church, better than any institution, knows the suffering and anxieties of modern man, therefore she constantly proclaims that only Christ is the true liberator of man, sent by God to free him from the bonds of death and evil.
During Advent we prepare ourselves to relive the mystery of the birth of Christ, in which God's love for man is revealed. In Jesus, God becomes one of us, he shares our joys and sufferings, fears and hopes. His work will be crowned with the victory of life and love. He is Emmanuel - God with us. “Belief in the true Incarnation of the Son of God is the distinctive sign of Christian faith: "By this you know the Spirit of God: every spirit which confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is of God." Such is the joyous conviction of the Church from her beginning whenever she sings "the mystery of our religion": "He was manifested in the flesh." (CCC 463). In Jesus, God not only reminds us of his covenant, but guides our paths towards holiness, justice and peace.
The task of the Church is to remind of this presence until the end of the world. In Christ, we can find inner harmony, the strength we need to face the challenges of everyday life. The expected Jesus is not a figure from the past but is a light that constantly enlightens the path of every human being. Jesus is close to every moment of our lives, both in terms of the night in Bethlehem and in view of the final coming at the end of time. In Christ, eternity enters mortality and mortality enters eternity. The history of man becomes the history of God. In order to explore this line of reasoning, it is necessary to adopt an attitude of deep and trusting faith and prayer. Only in this way can we prepare a place for Christ in our hearts.
"My people will live in the capital of peace, in safe homes ..." (cf. Is 32:18). During the Advent season, we should ask with confidence and join the saving plan of the Creator. We should be apostles of peace, justice, hope and love. The Son of God became man, and in him man became truly a child of God. Christ is near and he comes in the power of the Holy Spirit to proclaim the Good News, to heal and liberate, to proclaim grace and salvation, "so that on the night of Bethlehem to begin the work of redeeming the world ... the Lord is near. He comes to save us ... "(Saint John Paul II, December 15, 1997, Rome).
Until Tomorrow
fr. george