Gospel Reflection 27th November

The 1st. Sunday of Advent (Year A) – Stay Awake

This Sunday we start the new church year; the beginning of the season Advent. Before Halloween ended the ghosts and witches were taken down in the shops and the Christmas decorations went up. The Christmas rush stared weeks ago. Over the next four weeks we will be surrounded by all the signs, sounds and symbols of Christmas. In the coming weeks the television, the radio, newspapers, magazines and the shops will be telling us to move faster and spend more on those must have presents, toys and gifts and that unless we have these things, we won’t have the perfect Christmas, as if such a things exists.

Increasingly we speak about getting ready for Christmas as if it is a thing or object or that Christmas is just one day rather than a season of joyful celebration.

As followers of Christ we live and move and have our being in a very fast moving and changed world and society. However, we are called, invited and even challenged to prepare a way, to keep watch and to hope. In our Gospel for the first Sunday of Advent, Jesus says to each of us stay awake.

While it might important to ask for what are we being asked to prepare? It is a far deeper and prayerful question to ask, for whom are we preparing. The readings and prayers of Advent call us to prepare for a person, not a thing. Christmas is the celebration of Christ. Christmas is the celebration of Emmanuel; God with us.

The readings over the next four weeks will point and lead us to Jesus. They will alert and prepare us for his arrival. John the Baptist will ask us to change our ways, and to prepare a way for the Lord. As well as shopping and buying presents, we are also called to listen to the words of Jesus, stay awake and prepare. If we can create a space for God in our homes, families, our daily lives and our communities during Advent, then we will be well on our way to being ready to welcome Jesus when Christmas finally arrives

As we begin our Advent journey, we pray for each other that we will stay awake and prepare with faith and joy as we wait in joyful for the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.

• Michael Moore OMI