Fr. Victor Bongiovanni, SX
FIRST SUNDAY OF ADVENT
POINTS FOR REFLECTION:
‘Advent’ means ‘coming’. The Lord is coming all the time: through all those who are inviting us to listen to God, and to do what God wants us to do. We must be prepared to welcome Him.
In the days of Noah, people were going about the ordinary human activities of eating and drinking and marrying. Then the flood came and normal life was swept away. The point is simple: the end will come suddenly. Noah was saved because he was ready
The men of Noah’s day were ignorant about the time of the flood and were careless in the things that pertain to God.
The day and the hour of the coming of Christ are known only to God, then all life must be a constant preparation for that coming. And, if that is so, we must keep in mind that:
- To live without watchfulness invites disaster. A thief does not send a letter saying when he is going to steal in the house; his principal weapon in his ‘wicked’ undertakings is surprise; therefore a householder who has valuables in his house must maintain a constant guard. But to get this picture right, we must remember that the watching of the Christian for the coming of Christ is not that of terror and fear and apprehension; it is the watching of eager expectation for the coming of glory and joy.
2. The spirit which leads to disaster is the spirit which says there is plenty of time. There is a story which tells of three apprentice devils who were coming to this earth to finish their apprenticeship. They were talking to Satan, the chief of the devils, about their plans to tempt and ruin men. The first said, "I will tell them there is no God." Satan said, "That will not delude many, for they know that there is a God." The second said, "I will tell men there is no hell." Satan answered, "You will deceive no one that way; men know even now that there is hell for sin." The third said, "I will tell men there is no hurry." "Go," said Satan, "and you will ruin men by thousands." The most dangerous day in a man's life is when he learns that there is such a word as tomorrow.’ There are things which must not be postponed, for no man knows if for him tomorrow will ever come.
3. To watch for Jesus’ coming, is to be prepared. We know that we have a little time to live; much less we know the time fixed for the judgment. Our Lord's coming will be happy to those that shall be found ready, but very dreadful to those that are not. Jesus is warning us: “Do not let anyone fool you.” (Mt.24,4).
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FIRST SUNDAY OF ADVENT
POINTS FOR REFLECTION:
‘Advent’ means ‘coming’. The Lord is coming all the time: through all those who are inviting us to listen to God, and to do what God wants us to do. We must be prepared to welcome Him.
In the days of Noah, people were going about the ordinary human activities of eating and drinking and marrying. Then the flood came and normal life was swept away. The point is simple: the end will come suddenly. Noah was saved because he was ready
The men of Noah’s day were ignorant about the time of the flood and were careless in the things that pertain to God.
The day and the hour of the coming of Christ are known only to God, then all life must be a constant preparation for that coming. And, if that is so, we must keep in mind that:
- To live without watchfulness invites disaster. A thief does not send a letter saying when he is going to steal in the house; his principal weapon in his ‘wicked’ undertakings is surprise; therefore a householder who has valuables in his house must maintain a constant guard. But to get this picture right, we must remember that the watching of the Christian for the coming of Christ is not that of terror and fear and apprehension; it is the watching of eager expectation for the coming of glory and joy.
2. The spirit which leads to disaster is the spirit which says there is plenty of time. There is a story which tells of three apprentice devils who were coming to this earth to finish their apprenticeship. They were talking to Satan, the chief of the devils, about their plans to tempt and ruin men. The first said, "I will tell them there is no God." Satan said, "That will not delude many, for they know that there is a God." The second said, "I will tell men there is no hell." Satan answered, "You will deceive no one that way; men know even now that there is hell for sin." The third said, "I will tell men there is no hurry." "Go," said Satan, "and you will ruin men by thousands." The most dangerous day in a man's life is when he learns that there is such a word as tomorrow.’ There are things which must not be postponed, for no man knows if for him tomorrow will ever come.
3. To watch for Jesus’ coming, is to be prepared. We know that we have a little time to live; much less we know the time fixed for the judgment. Our Lord's coming will be happy to those that shall be found ready, but very dreadful to those that are not. Jesus is warning us: “Do not let anyone fool you.” (Mt.24,4).
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