HOMILY: FIRST SUNDAY OF ADVENT

THE FIRST SUNDAY OF ADVENT: YEAR C, 2018

By Rev. Fr. Casmir Odundo

WE ARE PREGNANT!!! Friends, it’s almost Christmas! Every year before Christmas, the Church gives us a period of around 5 weeks of preparation. This is the period of Advent which begins this Sunday and which also marks the beginning of the Liturgical year. The term Advent is from the Latin ‘Adventus’ which means coming. So it is the period with which we are expecting the coming of our Lord.

That was to be the best day in the life of Doctor Ben. He had very good news for his two couple clients. The first couple he called in was that of Rahab and Enoch who had a happy but childless marriage for six years “Well, I have good news for you…” said Doctor Ben as he looked intently at the young couple. “Enoch, your wife is pregnant!” He added. And as soon as the couple heard this…they jumped up in jubilation. From that moment, the couple did not spare any effort in making the period of conception a success…they were attentive to all the details. Enoch took Rahab for obstetric scan to check the position of the baby, the heart rate, whether there was enough amniotic fluid for the baby to swim in and even they as far as knowing the sex of the child. On the financial level, they took an insurance cover, i.e. the N.H.I.F, and even started saving the money for the new born child. Rahab also started buying some clothes for the new born baby. On the social level, they organized a baby shower, where they broke the news to all the family and friends and asked them to pray for the soon to come baby. On the spiritual level, they approached the parish priest in accordance with the Code of the Canon law and even booked a date for baptism, to be done immediately after the child was born.

On the other hand we had the second couple of Peter and Mary. They had also been married for six years and just like the earlier couple they had not yet been blessed with a child. As soon as Dr. Ben informed them of the child that was due they jumped in excitement…but that is all that they did. They didn’t buy clothes, they omitted certain tests and even did not book the hospital in time. All along they had seen the 9 month period as a very long time. But D-Day soon approached yet they had done almost nothing with regard to the new born baby. What were they to do?

Friends, have you often wondered why God did not allow us to be born immediately the day we were conceived? Why should he subject us to wait that long? This question really disturbed me when I was growing up. Am not yet certain of the answer, (your opinions and speculations are welcome) but I have a probable reason: I guess God wanted the couple to prepare. Again, have you often wondered why the Church insists on Advent before Christmas? I gues God also wants us to prepare. To prepare for the birth of His Son Jesus in our homes and our lives.  So that when Christmas comes…we may be ready and experience the true meaning of Christmas. Sometimes it is very easy to find that the 25^th of December has arrived…but yet you feel you don’t have a reason to celebrate…simply because you didn’t prepare well. (We behave like the second couple).  Sometimes ago, when I was undertaking my exams, a friend of mine told me not to worry so much about them because half the battle is already won during preparations. it is futile to fatten your calf on the day of the slaughter! The same applies to Christmas…Half the battle of Christmas is won during Advent.

In Advent, we share the hope and the expectation of the Jews, how for many years, the prophets kept them hopeful with the message of the coming of the Messiah. The first reading from the Book of Jeremiah expresses this hope. It is remarkable how, Jeremiah who was a prophet who proclaimed the Babylonian exile speaks now with a lot of hope. He speaks of a day when God will fulfill his promises to the house of Israel and Judah. Notice that Israel is mentioned here together with Judah at a time when we know  Israel (Northern Kingdom)  had already disintegrated. He thus prophesies the future reunification of Israel.  He talks of a righteous shoot from David who shall rule in justice and fairness and secure the nation of Israel and Judah. Why David? Last Sunday we celebrated the Solemnity of Christ the King. And David was Israels’s great King. David  united the nation of Israel. Captured Jerusalem and made it his Capital and he secured the boarders of Israel. Exactly, what the ‘righteous shoot’ was to do. Jesus we know from the Gospels, was referred to as many times as the “Son Of David.” And of course he did come from David’s lineage. He is indeed the “righteous shoot of David” who is to come.

Advent is about preparing for Christmas…not so much about the food you are going to eat..or the dress you are going to wear…but rather spiritually because Christ is going to reposes our souls just like hid did to Mary’s womb during the time of incarnation. And just how do we prepare? In today’s second reading, St. Paul writing to the Church of Thessalonica at the time when the early Christians were expecting the imminent return of the Messiah advice them how they should prepare for his coming by doing three things: First is by loving one another, secondly by being blameless in holiness and thirdly by pleasing God by their conduct. In the Gospel passage, Jesus reminds his hearers of the need to be vigilant and watchful at all times. “Beware that you do not become drowsy… for the day to catch you by surprise like a trap.”  For just as the pregnant mother is watchful…and incase she notices anything that might raise an alarm she seeks advice or medical attention immediately…So too, St. Luke is reminding us that we too should be ready to look out for those signs, that signal the coming of the Messiah.  We should be watchful and vigilant at all times this Advent.

May the Blessed Virgin Mary, She who carried the Messiah in her womb for nine months during that very first Advent, journey with us this throughout this season of preparation!