Last Sunday we begin the Season of Advent and a new Liturgical Year. In the first reading we hear from the Prophet Isaiah who was active in Jerusalem between 740BC – 701BC. He lived through difficult times when Jerusalem was continually threatened by the Assyrian Empire. Isaiah’s basic message has three points. Firstly, he condemns the sinfulness of the Chosen People. Secondly, he calls them to repentance, as they will face God’s judgement. Thirdly, he promises hope because the Lord’s mercy is never exhausted for those who desire it.
There are two aspects to Advent. Firstly, we begin by looking towards the Second Coming of Christ in glory. Secondly, then we turn to Bethlehem and the Lord’s first coming in humility. The message of Advent is to build your future on God. In the days of Noah nobody except Noah and his family were ready for the first purification of the earth by means of the Great Flood. Noah and his family were ready because they were living holy lives. Thus, there were only eight people and various animals saved in the times of the flood, through the great boat built by Noah, called the Ark.
In the second reading St Paul urges us to put on the armour of Christ. Prayer and the sacraments provide us with the spiritual food we need to live as followers of Jesus every day. the Rosary is our spiritual weapon against the devil. We prove our love for God by keeping His Commandments and obeying the authentic Magisterium of the Church.
During this Advent don’t remain asleep in sin, go to Confession. Turn off the television, get away from the phone and internet. Families pray together as a family and each person should pray alone too. Receive Jesus in the Sacraments, read the Scriptures and good spiritual books (e.g. lives of the saints, hours of the Passion and Book of Heaven). In this way, we put on the mind of Christ.
Our life on earth is the path, not the goal. We should use our God-given gifts and talents generously for the good of neighbour, parish and Church at large. The stars we should imitate are the saints who lived generous, selfless lives and grew in heroic virtue.
A good sports coach doesn’t try to re-invent the fundamentals of the sport, but instead makes sure players never lose sight of the fundamentals. They ensure that players keep practising the fundamentals. The spiritual life is like that. The Eucharist gives us the strength and grace to become mature Christians. St Teresa of Calcutta spent most of her adult life suffering a terrible sense of darkness and loneliness in her heart. This is known in spirituality as the “Dark Night of the Soul”. God withdrew all consolations from her, and she had to walk by faith alone. Her faith was profound, and she was able to persevere through her trials and in carrying her crosses. St Teresa was completely selfless in giving and in loving and caring for the loveless and most abandoned, this is because her heart was totally set on God.
Our journey towards a deeper union with Christ is the way of the saints. Firstly, be generous in sharing your time and talents. Secondly, do not be self-indulgent. Thirdly, be self-forgetful. Finally, don’t be self-centred, but keep your heart centred on the Lord. St Teresa brought much light and hope to the world because she had learned these steps well and that life on earth is only the path, not the goal. Let’s maintain a state of alertness in prayer and charity, keeping our eyes set on our ultimate end. Our Lady is the mother of hope. Let’s be especially close to Her this Advent. All our thoughts should be directed to Jesus who is to be born in Bethlehem. He is God made man, to redeem us from the slavery of sin and open the doors of Heaven once again to mankind, which had been closed since the fall of Adam. Praise be Jesus Christ, now and forever.