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01 dic 2019
01/12/2019 – 01st Sunday in Advent - Year A 

01/12/2019 – 01st Sunday in Advent - Year A 

Reading 1 IS 2,1-5  * Psalm 121 * Reading 2 ROM 13,11-14 * Gospel MT 24,37-44
 

The Roman Catholic Church opens today the time of Advent, four weeks dedicated to keeping alive the alertness which has to be always a characteristic of ours. The Christian wants to be always alert and on their guard regarding everything that is happening, both to see where to spread the love God has placed in their heart, and to defend their faith from the many temptations and seductions which are threatening it, and also to recognise in every event the revelation of the Father’s will. Exactly today we can hear a page from the gospel in which Jesus recommends, nay, commands to be on guard. He Himself is the Lord who “will come” to meet those who are waiting for Him.

He has been sent by the Father, and He continues to come and save us men. There are those who let Him find them and they are saved, as Noah has been saved. There are those who have only eyes for the things of this world, good and beautiful things, necessary or useful, like eating, drinking and getting married, and they are not aware of the spiritual things, the ones that are preparing us for eternity. Who is worried about only the beautiful things of this world is at risk to miss out on life, the eternal life: they are missing the consolations of the Kingdom of God, missing the joy that is given through listening to the Father, missing the beautiful and deep communion, which is the fruit of the Holy Spirit given by Jesus every time that we spend time with Him, every time we feed on Him.

He who ignores the coming of Jesus and is not waiting for Him remains where he is, in the emptiness of the things of the world.

He who is always busy with material things does not acknowledge the spiritual things. This is why you can see also how some of the people who live and work with you, some of those who eat and drink with you, are different from you: you are all taken by the love of Jesus, they do not understand you, do not believe you, despise you. You are happy for your interior life, even if you are suffering because your brother or your friend are without one and regard you as their enemy: maybe they mock you, think you are gullible, brainwashed, childish, but you live, sing, love and hope! Jesus says this things using simple, concrete images: one will be taken, and one will be left! One is taken by Jesus' love, the other left in his emptiness, that eventually can become frustration and desperation.

We would like to get used to wait for the Lord, to be on guard. Who do not wait for anyone in life do not find a meaning in anything they do, not even in the passing time, nor in their actions of love: they will get soon weary of them. We are not waiting for someone who comes and then goes away, we are waiting for the one who comes and then stays with us forever. We are going to meet Him: we are sure that this time for waiting will make us able to live, to change our aggressive behaviours into the pursuit of solidarity and peace: this is the only atmosphere which the One who is coming can be welcomed in.

The Lord is coming, and Isaiah writes that even many peoples are taking steps to meet Him. He is coming and we are coming: this meeting will also be a new beginning, a beginning of love: one nation shall not raise the sword against another! And we too will show one another the ability and the light to see everybody as the tools of God’s love, and not as victims who need to make space for resentment and payback. We will also see in whom was an enemy of ours, a person sought by the Lord who is coming, and we will help Him find them, visit them and save them! We can then live in this way the Eucharist as true communion of Christ's Body. When the priest says Jesus’ mysterious and beautiful words on the bread and the wine, we will feel like they are addressed to us personally, because that Body and that Blood become our body and our blood. We become one thing with Jesus, but also with the brethren who eat and drink the Bread and the Wine offered by the Lord. Together with them we remain “until you come again”, as we say many times during the celebration.

“Let us go rejoicing to the house of the Lord”!