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LIVING HOLY AND SAINTLY LIVES

Fr. Piero Lazzarini sx

Dec 8, 2017
1065

SECOND SUNDAY OF ADVENT

“Since everything is coming to an end (the Day of the Lord), you should be living holy and saintly lives.” (2 Peter 3,11)

For most people Advent means preparation for Christmas. Christmas of course means the coming of Christ, the coming of Jesus. But, again, Christmas brings to mind – for most, primarily – celebrations, decorations, gifts, lots of entertainment…

Is this the way to honour and welcome Jesus into our world and our homes and our hearts for him to be our saviour? Do we forget the fact that he has already come a long time ago and has been with us for 2,000 years since? Are we pretending he is coming now for the first time? This is what most Christians feel and do, more or less consciously.

The Church has always taught that ADVENT is about a threefold coming of Jesus:

  1. The COMING IN HISTORY: Jesus’ birth at Betlehem, remembered and celebrated in church on 25th
  2. The COMING IN GLORY at the end of times. This is always referred to as the Parousia, the second and last coming of Jesus. Jesus himself often refers to the coming of the Son of Man. The Book of Revelation (Apocalypse) talks about it throughout and says that “the time is near” (Rev. 1,3).
  3. The COMING IN MYSTERY, i.e. in the mysterious daily reality of Christian life, consisting basically of faith, prayer and the sacraments of salvation.

I think it is worthwhile and in fact very important to spend a little time to reflect about the third coming of Jesus (according to our list) – the Coming in mystery – which should become a reality in our daily life.

St. Peter gives us an excellent reminder in the second Reading of this second Sunday of Advent: “Since everything is coming to an end, you should be living holy and saintly lives, while you wait and long for the Day of the Lord to come… What we are waiting for is what he promised: the new heavens and the new earth” (2 Peter 3,11-13).

In this text the Coming in mystery and the Coming in glory are clearly connected as faith aspects that should touch and influence our daily lives. Even Isaiah’s message to the people of Israel (First reading)  referring to the historical coming of Jesus, is quite relevant if interpreted, applied and fulfilled in reference to the final coming of the lord: “Prepare in the wilderness (of your sinfulness) a way for the Lord…”

Perhaps today we understand better and more clearly how the THREE COMINGS of the Lord are closely connected. I would say that the Coming in Mystery is the one that gives the other aspects of the Coming real concreteness and full meaning.

But how can we shed some light on the meaning and content of the COMING IN MYSTERY that should take place in our daily life? The best and clearest way to explain the content of the Coming in Mystery is what Pope Francis wrote at the beginning of his recent Apostolic Exhortation “The Joy of the Gospel”.

He speaks of a DAILY PERSONAL ENCOUNTER WITH JESUS CHRIST!  We need to read and meditate on the full mentioned text in order to fully appreciate it.

“I invite all Christians, everywhere, at this very moment, to a renewed PERSONAL ENCOUNTER with Jesus Christ. I ask you to do this unfailingly, EACH DAY. No one should think that this invitation is not meant for him or her… NOW is the time to say to Jesus: “Lord, I have let myself be deceived; in a thousand ways I have shunned your love. Yet here I am  once more , to renew my covenant with you. I need you. Save me once again, Lord. Take me once more into your redeeming embrace.” (EG 3)

This is indeed a rare, most beautiful, most convincing text that explains why EVERYONE (every believer) must try to develop a PERSONAL LOVE RELATIONSHIP with the Lord: our need to be saved and to experience daily his joyful embrace.

SECOND SUNDAY OF ADVENT

“Since everything is coming to an end (the Day of the Lord), you should be living holy and saintly lives.” (2 Peter 3,11)

For most people Advent means preparation for Christmas. Christmas of course means the coming of Christ, the coming of Jesus. But, again, Christmas brings to mind – for most, primarily – celebrations, decorations, gifts, lots of entertainment…

Is this the way to honour and welcome Jesus into our world and our homes and our hearts for him to be our saviour? Do we forget the fact that he has already come a long time ago and has been with us for 2,000 years since? Are we pretending he is coming now for the first time? This is what most Christians feel and do, more or less consciously.

The Church has always taught that ADVENT is about a threefold coming of Jesus:

  1. The COMING IN HISTORY: Jesus’ birth at Betlehem, remembered and celebrated in church on 25th
  2. The COMING IN GLORY at the end of times. This is always referred to as the Parousia, the second and last coming of Jesus. Jesus himself often refers to the coming of the Son of Man. The Book of Revelation (Apocalypse) talks about it throughout and says that “the time is near” (Rev. 1,3).
  3. The COMING IN MYSTERY, i.e. in the mysterious daily reality of Christian life, consisting basically of faith, prayer and the sacraments of salvation.

I think it is worthwhile and in fact very important to spend a little time to reflect about the third coming of Jesus (according to our list) – the Coming in mystery – which should become a reality in our daily life.

St. Peter gives us an excellent reminder in the second Reading of this second Sunday of Advent: “Since everything is coming to an end, you should be living holy and saintly lives, while you wait and long for the Day of the Lord to come… What we are waiting for is what he promised: the new heavens and the new earth” (2 Peter 3,11-13).

In this text the Coming in mystery and the Coming in glory are clearly connected as faith aspects that should touch and influence our daily lives. Even Isaiah’s message to the people of Israel (First reading)  referring to the historical coming of Jesus, is quite relevant if interpreted, applied and fulfilled in reference to the final coming of the lord: “Prepare in the wilderness (of your sinfulness) a way for the Lord…”

Perhaps today we understand better and more clearly how the THREE COMINGS of the Lord are closely connected. I would say that the Coming in Mystery is the one that gives the other aspects of the Coming real concreteness and full meaning.

But how can we shed some light on the meaning and content of the COMING IN MYSTERY that should take place in our daily life? The best and clearest way to explain the content of the Coming in Mystery is what Pope Francis wrote at the beginning of his recent Apostolic Exhortation “The Joy of the Gospel”.

He speaks of a DAILY PERSONAL ENCOUNTER WITH JESUS CHRIST!  We need to read and meditate on the full mentioned text in order to fully appreciate it.

“I invite all Christians, everywhere, at this very moment, to a renewed PERSONAL ENCOUNTER with Jesus Christ. I ask you to do this unfailingly, EACH DAY. No one should think that this invitation is not meant for him or her… NOW is the time to say to Jesus: “Lord, I have let myself be deceived; in a thousand ways I have shunned your love. Yet here I am  once more , to renew my covenant with you. I need you. Save me once again, Lord. Take me once more into your redeeming embrace.” (EG 3)

This is indeed a rare, most beautiful, most convincing text that explains why EVERYONE (every believer) must try to develop a PERSONAL LOVE RELATIONSHIP with the Lord: our need to be saved and to experience daily his joyful embrace.

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