Chapter Chaplain's Homily Reflection - STAY AWAKE AND FAITHFUL

STAY AWAKE AND FAITHFUL
The season of Advent is once again here. Advent celebrates the coming of the Lord. Each Sunday of Advent focuses on how the Lord comes to us differently. Today, the focus is on the coming of the Lord at the end of time. The readings invite us to prepare. Isaiah, in the First Reading, says that the best way to do this is to beat our swords into their plowshares and stop our disputes with one another. While Paul, in the Second Reading, invites us to cast off the deeds of darkness, wear the armor of light, put on Jesus Christ, and walk in the way of the Spirit. In the Gospel, Jesus instructs us to “Stay awake! You have no idea the day your Master will show up”.
While the Gospel tells us that the second coming of the Lord is for certain but the time unknown, what gives us the most concern is the suddenness of his coming. It will be so unexpected that unless one is at home in faith and relationship with the Lord, they will be taken unaware. To stress the unexpectedness associated with the coming of the Son of Man, Jesus uses an example from Genesis, which describes Noah and the people of his time as being oblivious to the coming of the flood. He also uses the image of the unannounced thief at night to drive his message home. In other words, the coming of the Lord at the end of time will happen suddenly and unexpectedly. Unfortunately, we live in a time in a society with so many things that can make us very preoccupied and inattentive.
How, then, do we prepare to meet Christ, who is coming and who comes at every moment? The answers are in today’s readings. These answers can be summed up in two phrases: “Put off” and “put on.” According to the readings, we should put off the deeds of darkness. In the Scriptures, darkness is related to evil deeds. So, we are to put off deeds, thoughts, or feelings that keep us in the shadows that are not consistent with our life in Christ. We are to put off sins or habits that burden us as we ascend the mountain of the Lord. We are to put off prejudice which makes us see ourselves and others through dark glasses. We are to put off lies that twist our thinking and destroy our relationship with others. We are to put off past regrets and future worries that keep us from living in the present. We are also to put off carousing, drunkenness, sexual excess, quarreling, and jealousy that cripple and make us spiritually asleep and leave us neither cold nor hot.
On the other hand, we are to put on Jesus Christ and the armor of light. Paul uses the battle gear of the Roman soldier to describe how we can protect ourselves and defeat our spiritual enemy. The defensive weapons (armor of light) we should put on are truth, righteousness, faith, the word of God, peace, and constant prayer (Phil 6:10f). We are also to put on watchfulness and stay awake. Being awake is used here figuratively to mean being watchful, alert, observant, or non-indulgent. The early Christians used “sleep” as symbolic of a life of sinful indulgence. To be watchful or stay awake then warns against the sinful indulgence in our life. Thus clothed, we shall always be found ready in and out of season, working for the Lord.
Therefore, I encourage you this First Sunday of Advent to draw up an action plan for the next 27 days, identifying specific tasks for each day in preparation for Christmas. Endeavor to set aside time to talk – and listen – to God every day. Quiet your heart and wait for God’s small voice to whisper to you. You will be surprised to note that he has good things to say. Then you will discover that God’s judgment is good news for those ready to meet him when he returns in his glory. Stay awake!

Fr. Imo

Chaplain 

Arrowhead Desert Valley Chapter