1st Sunday of Advent

Today we celebrate the First Sunday of Advent. The season of Advent is a period of preparation in which we await the celebration of the Birth of the Lord. Waiting is never a passive exercise. It always involves commitment on our part. Would we invite a guest to our home for dinner and then be surprised - and unprepared - when the guest shows up? No. We would clean the house and make preparations for a grand meal. When we say we are waiting for something, we cannot live as if we are waiting for nothing. Our waiting is a dedication and a preparation. Our Advent waiting dedicates us and prepares us for the coming of Christ. Advent is a season in which we should be particularly mindful of our need for repentance and good works as we listen to the long-ago cry of John the Baptist: ''Prepare the way of the Lord!"

The prayers and Scripture Readings for the First Sunday of Advent are eschatological in nature, meaning that they focus on the "end times." The end of the world is a fascination shared by many people. Predictions about how and when the world might end are commonplace. In today's Gospel, even Jesus offers a scenario as to how the world might end and then he warns his listeners to remain alert and vigilant, steadfast in faith and persistent in strength. If we knew the world were going to end today, what would our priorities be in those final hours? What would be important for us to accomplish in the time that was left?

The First Sunday of Advent also marks the beginning of a new liturgical year. In a sense, today is "New Year's Day" for the Church. Every year people make New Year's resolutions that they hope to implement in their lives as we begin a new calendar year. I think we would all be wise to spend a little time now making some spiritual "New Year's resolutions" as we begin the new Church year. Perhaps we should resolve to attend Sunday Mass more regularly, to go to Confession more regularly, to pray more often, to read from the Bible daily, or to have more patience with our family and friends. Now is the time to make an honest assessment of your spiritual life and resolve to strengthen it in the coming year with the help of God's grace.