Homily - 1st Sunday of Advent - Sunday 3rd December 2023

Homily

1st Sunday of Advent

Sunday 3rd December 2023

As we begin Advent, we enter a new church yearly cycle, Year B. The Gospel theme is about being alert. The owner goes away, leaving his servants to attend his home until his return. The day is unknown. Therefore, the servants must be vigilant, and watchful for the unexpected. He could come out of the blue. Everything must be prepared for the owner’s arrival, leaving everyone anxious. Each is accountable for their duties. Our Lord tells us we must stay awake. (Young Catholics, 2023)

Mark’s Gospel was written around AD70, after the failed Jewish rebellion, and the Roman destruction of the Second Temple. Mark’s Gospel Chapter 13 sees Jesus and his disciples leave the Temple. He tells them of its destruction. (Mark 13:2) On the Mount of Olives, the disciples ask Jesus what signs precede the destruction.

Jesus warns them not to be lead astray, telling them others would claim to be him but are imposters. The signs include warring nations, earthquakes, and famine. His disciples will be persecuted for proclaiming the Gospel across the planet. Yet, they should not worry about what to say as the Holy Spirit will guide them.

Other signs include families fighting and betraying each other, even to death. Those who can hold onto their faith and trust in Jesus would be saved. He tells the disciples of a traumatic time when calamity occurs, foreshadowed by the desolating sacrilege placed where it should not be. A time worse than anything before, cut short by God so his elect can be saved.

Jesus warns of false messiahs and prophets, creating signs to deceive and lead people astray. All must be alert.

When darkness falls with no sun or moon, and stars tumble from the sky, even heaven will be shaken, “the Son of Man will appear in the clouds’ with great power and glory.” God’s angels will be sent to gather his people from across the earth to the ends of heaven.

Many Christians, when Mark’s Gospel was written, believed the Jewish rebellion was the beginning of God’s new Kingdom on earth, when the Messiah would return. With their assumptions dashed, and Christians and Jews being persecuted, Mark tried making sense of the upheaval by exploring the miracles Jesus had performed before his death on the cross. (Mellowes, 1998)

Isaiah was with the Jewish people exiled in Babylon. (Hanly, 2008) They sins under various kings had brought God’s wrath on them as Nebuchadnezzar and his Chaldean forces plundered Judah, destroying the first temple, and deporting 10,000 people to Babylon. (Hooker, 1996) The Jews had gone astray. The Second Book of Chronicles, Chapter 36, tells how God sent many messengers, but were rejected. So, he allowed everything in the Temple to be transported to Babylon, for seventy years. (2 Chronicles 36:15-21)

Isaiah’s prayer recognised God as ‘Our Redeemer’ and if he came down from heaven the mountains would melt in his presence. He reminds us we are clay by the potter’s hands. King Cyrus of Persia, as prophesied by Jeremiah, was sent to rescue the Judaeans from Babylon, and it was placed in his heart to build the Second Temple in Jerusalem. (Hanly, 2008; 2Chr36:23)

As we begin Advent, the past year has been a struggle in one form or another. Much in the world appears dark. War between Russia and Ukraine, the devastation caused by troubles in the Middle East, crazy weather patterns due to global warming, fear of food shortages due to bad harvests, economic worries, the threat of artificial intelligence taking away human jobs, and personal bereavements. All leaving so much uncertainty.

The darkness can be depressing, but as Fr Hanly tells us, candlelight can only be appreciated in the dark when its glowing light gives us hope. (Hanly, 2008) Fr Leisy reminds us, that we should not get stressed out waiting for the Lord’s Second Coming but use each day as an opportunity to make the most of our lives. To be closer to Jesus, our preparation can be practicing prayer, celebrating the Sacraments, and being open to serving others, both those close to us and the stranger. (Leisy, 2023)

We know not the day, hour, minute, or second when Our Lord Jesus will come in Glory, but likewise, we know not when he will call us from this earthly body. Death, though natural, was brought about by the wages of sin. If we lived in Christ, our death is a sharing in his death, allowing us to share in his Resurrection. (USCC, 1997) Therefore, we have nothing to fear, as St Paul said to the Corinthians, with the gifts of the Holy Spirit, Our Lord Jesus Christ will keep us steady, without blame, as we wait for him to be revealed.

This Advent, let what is dormant in your faith be re-energised, as we prepare to celebrate the first coming of our Lord, born of a Virgin Mother, who experienced the world as we do, but without sin, and, some thirty-three years later died for our sins, so we could be forgiven and be Resurrected on the Last Day. (Leisy, 2023) Stay awake.

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