First Sunday of Advent. December 3, 2017 [Mark 13:33-37]

“Be watchful! Be alert! You do not know when the time will come. (Mrk 13:33)”

The Season of Advent has begun. This season marks the beginning of the new Church’s liturgical year as well as of the four Sundays preparation for Christmas. A curious mind may ask: why the liturgical year has to be opened by the season Advent? Why not Christmas, Lenten or Easter seasons?

It has something to do with the liturgical year itself. Yet, what is the liturgical year? Simply put, liturgy is the official and public worship of the Church. Thus, it is through the liturgical year or calendar, the Church wishes to worship God every single day all around the year, and thus fulfilling St. Paul’s instruction to pray without ceasing (1 The 5:17). There is no single moment in the life of the Church and Christians that is not ordained for worshiping the Lord.

Yet, to worship God every moment of our lives is rather a tall order, if not impossible. For some of us, we just go to the Church on Sundays and perhaps pray privately once in a while. Some of us have freer time and commitment to the Church, so we attend Mass daily and join parish organizations. For Dominican religious brothers like myself, daily Eucharist and the Liturgy of the Hours have been integrated into our life structure in the convent, and thus easier to pray every day. But, for many of us who are working for a living, and studying for the future, more time in the Church is simply not possible. Even for me, without the structure of convent, I am often lost and have a hard time to pray.

From this perspective, the Advent season becomes even more crucial for us in shaping our right attitude and predisposition in entering this liturgical new year. The Catechism of the Catholic Church reminds us, “When the Church celebrates the liturgy of Advent each year, she makes present this ancient expectancy of the Messiah, for by sharing in the long preparation for the Savior’s first coming, the faithful renew their ardent desire for his second coming (CCC 524).” The first Christians possessed this “eschatological fervor” because they believed that Jesus was going to come very soon. They were so eager to welcome Christ as much as they would live as if they were not of this world. As Paul would say, “our citizenship is in heaven (Phil 3:20)”. Many of them sold their belongings so that they may focus on those truly important: the teaching of the apostles, communal life, breaking of the bread, and prayers (Act 2:42). Even the pagans would be so amazed and say, “See how they love one another!” It may be true that Jesus did not come in their lifetime, but their lifestyles have transformed their communities and societies to better places to live. Jesus did not come, but they brought Jesus in the midst of the world.

It is the call of Advent season to rekindle this “eschatological fervor” in us. To see that we are all pilgrims and sojourners on this earth and we walk towards our true home in Christ. Our happiness is not rooted in the things of this earth, money, gadgets, popularity, and success. It is true that we need to work for a living, and often our works leave a little time to worship God, but it is always possible to live as the sign of the Kingdom of God, to make our very lives a worship to God. To be honest in our workplaces or schools, to spend more quality time with our families, and to love the poor are some ways we live this fervor. Advent is not about waiting, but it is about engagingly bringing Jesus in our midst.

Br. Valentinus Bayuhadi Ruseno, OP