ADVENT 1B 2014 BOYNES
Well, we made it through another Black Friday! The name "Black Friday" was intended as a positive thing. In the old days, bookkeepers would write negative numbers in red ink and positive numbers in black. So store owners started these Black Friday sales to help put them "in the black" by year end.
Unfortunately, we see the dark side of Black Friday all too often. Every year the news media makes sure to show us footage of people literally fighting over the latest toy or gadget, just to save some money. Some are even arrested and carted off to jail. How stupid! How sad!
Often times people get into these situations because we are forgetful. We forget about the dignity of every human person, ours and that of our neighbor. We forget that the love of money is the root of so much evil. We forget that things of this world are only passing. I'm sure that none of us have ever gotten in a fight over a Black Friday sale, but we've all done stupid or hurtful things because we forgot some of these ultimate truths, even if just for a moment.
All this really struck home as I reflected on today's readings for the beginning of Advent. Isaiah prays, "Would that...we were mindful of you in our ways"...instead of being forgetful and distracted. Jesus says much the same thing in our Gospel: "Be watchful! Be alert!...you do not know when the lord of the house is coming...May he not come suddenly and find you sleeping."
It is so easy to lull ourselves to sleep and not think about the big picture. We can easily distract ourselves from the ultimate realities, that this life and this world are only temporary. It's easy to be immersed in the things of this world and not be "mindful of Him in our ways." Its easy to fall into the grip of sin and selfishness, which close us off and cloud our vision.
It would be great if there were flashing billboards around to remind us of the big picture. Isaiah prayed for that too: "Oh that you would rend the heavens and come down, with the mountains quaking before you." We don't always get that, do we?
Well, we have the greatest sign of all, right in our midst: the Word made flesh who came among us; the risen Lord Jesus who died for us that we might share in God's abundant life. He comes to us in the Eucharist and other sacraments of His Church. He comes to us in His word and the teachings of our Tradition. He comes to us in our community of faith, in our families and neighbors. We can watch others for signs of His life: watch for acts of generosity and mercy; listen for stories of God's grace in their lives.
The early Christians would greet each other, not with a "hello" or "good morning" but with "maran atha" - which means "come to us, Lord." What a great reminder! Just think how that attitude could transform our lives and our Church. We need to be watchful and mindful if we are to really know His presence and power. We need to be mindful of Him in our daily patterns and habits and choices, not just when we are in church or at prayer.
Jesus tells a parable in today's Gospel about a landowner who comes and goes, leaving his servants in charge of the house. He warns that the servants should be alert because the boss might return at any time. But they have no reason to fear as long as they are attentive and stay on task.
We know that we will meet the Lord, whether at the end of our own lives or in His second coming at the end of this age. We have no reason to fear, as long as we are embracing His first coming each day of our lives, if we are alert and pay attention to what is most important. If we live in His life, we have no reason to fear the end of our life, or of our world. We can look forward to the fulfillment of the kingdom, as He has promised. In fact, He taught is to pray for it: "thy kingdom come."
In the parable, the lord of the house leaves "his servants in charge, each with his own work." Jesus has entrusted the work of the Gospel to us, and given us our own work - our vocation as individuals and our mission as Church. There is work to be done in our families and schools, our communities and our Church: the work of caring for those who are hurting; the work of defending human dignity and life; the work of sharing the consoling message of the Gospel. Each of us are called to that work in different way, according to our own vocation and state of life.
But remember that we don't do this alone. St. Paul writes to the Church today: "I give thanks for the grace of God bestowed on you in Christ Jesus, that in Him you are enriched in every way...you are not lacking in any spiritual gift as you wait for the revelation of our Lord Jesus Christ. He will keep you firm to the end." Again: no reason to fear if we are living in Him.
Advent is a word that means "to come." Its a time for rousing our minds to the Lord's coming, to alert ourselves of the ultimate realities, to strengthen that habit of being "mindful of Him in our ways."
Here's a great Advent project that I came across: make a note and put it next to your bed to remind you - when you wake up, say "Lord, show me someone today with whom I can share your love and mercy; when you go to bed,say "Lord, in what and in whom have I found you today?" Count the answers as God's Advent gift for you.
Christ will come to each of us at the end of this life, and will come again to all of us at the end of this age as He promised. To prepare ourselves, we just need to be aware of His presence each day and respond to it.
"Be watchful, be alert! You do not know when the time will come....What I say to you, I say to all: 'Watch!'"