THE WORD
FIRST READING Jer 33: 14–16
The days are coming—oracle of the LORD—when I will fulfill the promise I made to the house of Israel and the house of Judah. In those days, at that time, I will make a just shoot spring up for David; he shall do what is right and just in the land. In those days Judah shall be saved and Jerusalem shall dwell safely; this is the name they shall call her: “The LORD our justice.”
SECOND READING 1 Thes 3: 12–4:2
And may the Lord make you increase and abound in love for one another and for all, just as we have for you, so as to strengthen your hearts, to be blameless in holiness before our God and Father at the coming of our Lord Jesus with all his holy ones.
Finally, brothers, we earnestly ask and exhort you in the Lord Jesus that, as you received from us how you should conduct yourselves to please God—and as you are conducting yourselves—you do so even more. For you know what instructions we gave you through the Lord Jesus.
GOSPEL READING Lk 21: 25–28.34–36
Jesus said to his disciples, “There will be signs in the sun, the moon, and the stars, and on earth nations will be in dismay, perplexed by the roaring of the sea and the waves. People will die of fright in anticipation of what is coming upon the world, for the powers of the heavens will be shaken. And then they will see the Son of Man coming in a cloud with power and great glory. But when these signs begin to happen, stand erect and raise your heads because your redemption is at hand.
“Beware that your hearts do not become drowsy from carousing and drunkenness and the anxieties of daily life, and that day catch you by surprise like a trap. For that day will assault everyone who lives on the face of the earth. Be vigilant at all times and pray that you have the strength to escape the tribulations that are imminent and to stand before the Son of Man.”
IN OTHER WORDS
You have seen people queuing up to get to a bank teller. You might have been one of the passengers of a flight that is delayed. Or maybe you are at a restaurant waiting for a friend to arrive. These are not easy moments. The waiting could be frustrating, nerve-wracking and, at the very least, boring.
The spirit of Advent puts us into the spirit of waiting. But it is not the frustrating or boring kind of waiting. When we are in sync with the true waiting to which the season of Advent invites us, we are called to put ourselves in the cloaks of those people who have waited patiently and earnestly for the coming of a Savior, as described by the Prophet Isaiah: “The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light, those who dwelt in a land of deep darkness, on them has light shone.” (9, 2) Isaiah further proclaims to those who are waiting, “Say to those who have an anxious heart, ‘Be strong; fear not! Behold, your God will come with vengeance, with the recompense of God. He will come and save you.’” (35, 4)
In the same spirit of waiting we focus ourselves not on the coming of the “historical” Jesus, the one born in a manger in swaddling clothes, but on the Jesus already present and knocking at our hearts, telling us, “Here I am, your way, your truth, and your life.” Our waiting is in the spirit of hope, that the same Jesus continues to enter and bring light to our lives, sometimes marred by the darkness of our sins and wrong choices. Our waiting is also in the spirit of gentleness and serenity, allowing the spirit of God to work in us and through us.
Our gospel reading today describes the signs and the times of the coming of the Son of man with power and great glory. It also reminds us to stand erect to receive our full redemption. Amidst the goodness, peace and happiness we now receive through God’s grace in us, the fullness of His redeeming love is yet to come.
This is another hopeful waiting, inspiring our vigilance to center our lives in God. As we “wait” during these weeks of Advent let us not forget the hope and the gentleness that come along with it. In the coming days leading up to Christmas we come to grips again with the reality that in our lives, God, “Emmanuel”, is already with us and in us. But the fullness of His presence is yet to come. Here is an excerpt of a poem that speaks volumes:
WAIT!
Desperately, helplessly, longingly, I cried
Quietly, patiently, lovingly God replied.
I pled and I wept for a clue to my fate,
And the Master so gently said,
“Child, you must wait”.
Lloyd Pulley
- Sonny de Rivera, SVD (Rome, Italy)
The Word in other words 2015
An annual project of Logos Publications, The WORD in Other Words Bible Diary contains daily scripture readings and reflections written by priest, brothers, and sisters of the three congregations founded by St. Arnold Janssen (the SVD, SSpS, and SSpSAP). It hopes to serve as a daily companion to readers who continually seek the correlation of the Word of God and human experience.
