Homily of the 1st Sunday of Advent
By Fr Oluwafemi Victor Orilua CSSp
Isaiah 2:1-5, Romans 13:11-14a, Matthew 24:37-44
Beloved in Christ, here comes again another season of Advent, a time of joyful expectation and spiritual preparation for the coming of Christ. This season marks the beginning of the Church’s liturgical year, and it invites us to reflect, pray, and renew our hope. We are called to dwell on the word of God, repent from our sins, and practice acts of charity. These help us to prepare our hearts to welcome Jesus at Christmas as we equally await his coming in glory.
The first reading talks about the coming of the Messiah who would come to make peace amid the world crisis. The Lord has come as he has promised. He has purchased our salvation by the shedding of his blood. And as we await his second coming, Paul implores us through his letter to the Romans, that we should always be ready to tap into the salvation he has won for us. He said,
“Brothers and sisters: You know the time, that the hour has come for you to wake from sleep. For salvation is nearer to us now than when we first believed. The night is far gone; the day is at hand. So then let us cast off the works of darkness and put on the armour of light. Let us walk properly as in the daytime, not in orgies and drunkenness, not in sexual immorality and sensuality, not in quarrelling and jealousy. But put on the Lord Jesus Christ.”
Paul’s invitation is a simple reminder that having been joined to Christ by the virtue of our Baptism, the essence of his sacrifice must be seen in us. We cannot live like those who are outside the faith. The fruits of the Christian life must be seen clearly in our life bearings. This a call to shun pretence or stop hiding our identity. Our character speaks about the spirit that operates in us. We should allow ourselves to be led by Christ.
Moreover, in the gospel of Matthew 24:37-44, Jesus calls to stay awake, since we do not know when the Lord is coming. This conscious awareness of God’s presence helps us to always prepare for his coming which no one knows. We must allow the Holy Spirit to prompt our actions. We must give him the space to determine the rhythm of our life, if we want to bear the fruit for eternal life.
As we lit the first’s advent candle, the prophetic candle, let keep our hope alive and never lose sight of God’s abiding presence in us and around us. Maranatha. Come Lord Jesus!
