A beautiful season to embrace Christ and call for an end any darkness in our lives!

Today is the beginning of another new beginning. The first week of Advent. The beginning of new Liturgical Church year, and the beginning of good news of Jesus Christ. 

With the current situation of uncertainties and difficulties brought by the pandemic, the spirit of Advent is once again here to awaken in us, a new start with great expectation of good news! The good news of Advent, however, calls us to “waiting,” but with hope.  A wait with prayer, patience, and good work. 

It is difficult sometimes to wait….. We are in a current world of hurry hurry of doing things and wants to accomplish everything on time, which is good. However, Advent is asking us to wait and be patient for greater good, the coming of Emmanuel, the God with us. Even though it can be difficult to wait, but to wait here is spiritually medicinal for purification of self. 

At an old age, God promises Abraham that he will be the Father of all nations. Abraham’s wife was also advanced in age. As Abraham keep getting older and older, everything seemed like the promise from God is less likely to happen, but still Abraham waited for God’s time and trusted in God. Advent is a time to learn how to put ourselves in God’s preference and let go our own preference.

God has great plan for every one of us, but sometimes, He sees we want His blessings, but we are not ready for it. Those promises may sometimes appear delayed. It is like waiting in a long traffic in Los Angeles or New York City. In the sight of God, He is not delaying any good from coming to us, but rather, He wants to spiritually train us to be truly ready to embrace that good He has for us.

Sometimes, we keep praying about something, but not really prepared for it. That prayer may appear delayed, but God is preparing our hearts to be in right position to get that blessing, so that we handle God’s gifts according to the mind of God. Advent, is therefore, a time of waiting that purifies all areas of our spiritual life, for Christ to be born in us.

Advent presents us with three parts: First, is the birth of Jesus Christ – the God with us, Emmanuel, His ministry, and life among us. 

The other part is the second coming of Jesus Christ to judge everyone according our human conduct, to liberate, and to transform everything completely. 

The third part is about our daily encounter with God. The advent of now. Advent is a time that prepares us ascetically to endorse Jesus in our lives. In other words, a time of total purification and transformation of life for God.

The passage of the Gospel today, presents us with the concept of staying alert and awake, meaning reviving all of us with the invitation to be alive. That means, to be awake at every moments of life. Once we begin to procrastinate, we lose the focus of being awake and alive. It is spiritual invitation for us to make good use of use of this moment. 

St. Paul in the second reading today, advised us not to lack in any spiritual gift as we wait for the revelation of Jesus Christ coming to us. In order words, give the Lord your heart this moment and not tomorrow. If you believe that Love unites us with Christ and with one another starts today to manifest love and not wait.  

If you believe that humility is the core nature of a true child of God seeking the face of Jesus Christ, starts today to be humble. If you believe that forgiveness and reconciliation is the core concept of Christianity, manifest that in your own life today, and not procrastinate or suppress that gifts of the Holy Spirit in your life. If you believe that to be charitable is a mark of great Christian virtue, start living that life now and accept Jesus in your own life. If you believe that patience brings understanding starts today to be patients and deny yourself for Christ. If you believe that prayer draws one closer to communion with God, starts today to pray with good heart, and do not procrastinate. 

Sometimes, it takes spiritual courage and humility to recognize darkness in in our lives. There is no Joy living in darkness. This is the time to recognize all darkness in our lives and call for an end of them by the special Grace of God. By the spirit of this advent, we can free ourselves from darkness and experience the joy and light of Christ by doing good.

Finally, the most precious light is the light of love. Without the light of love, the world will be in a dark place. Love lights up everything in human life, why? because God is love. The true image of God shines out brightly from us when we love. That is how Advent wants us to prepare and welcome Jesus in our lives. Let us pray today, that we all experience the Light of Christ this Advent by praying, by doing good, as we prepare for Christmas!

Happy New Liturgical Year!