By Friday. Ed Liptak, SDB

Out of the chaos of history, the voice of Jeremiah the Prophet cried out that days were coming when Jerusalem would be raised from turmoil and darkness. Peace and justice would be restored. So powerful would God’s presence be that Jerusalem herself would be called “The LORD our justice.” As this first day of Advent has indeed come, it is a good time for us to recall that in our understanding, “mother Jerusalem,” so glorified by God, is another name for “Holy Mother Church,”  hall of God’s presence in the new Jerusalem coming through Jesus Christ Our Lord. The Advent days are givenus to yearn for His rebirth, His renewed liturgical presence among us. 

Our Psalm reminds us to “wait all day” and to keep exercising our yearning in prayer, “To you, O Lord, I lift my soul.” Our reading from St. Paul, too, encourages us to work cultivating and strengthening our attitude of waiting and being “blameless in holiness before our God and Father at the coming of our Lord Jesus with all his holy ones.” Paul desires effort from us to “increase and abound in love for one another.” Advent is not just a word or a season. It is meantto allow us to rekindle in ourselves a longing for Christ. Deeds of gentleness and kindness shown to one another would be marvelous helps for all of us. 

Two Sundays ago, St. Mark renewed the call to us that we live in a passing world. The purpose, then, was to remind us not to be overcome by the attractions of that world. Now, with much the same purpose, St. Luke helps us live out our allotted time, desiring to find and keep Jesus so as to be with Him and all His beloved in the world to come. It is Advent, and again, we are advised in a new Gospel to live and yearn for Christ in this world and to be with Him in the next. 

Thus, Luke painted much the same picture as Mark: the collapse of the sun, moon, and stars, the surging of the sea, Christ the victorious judge coming on a cloud from heaven, and people dying of fright, but Jesus telling the faithful, ” Stand erect and raise your heads because your redemption is at hand.”  Fearsome as the end may be, Jesus gives hope to the good. 

Here are words of Jesus to cherish: “Be vigilant at all times and pray that you have the strength to escape the tribulations that are imminent and to stand before the Son of Man.”  How should we respond? “Lord Jesus, do come. I’ll be waiting, but careful too! ame picture as Mark, the collapse of sun, moon, and stars, the surging of the sea, Christ victorious judge coming on a cloud from heaven, people dying of fright, but Jesus telling the faithful, ”Stand erect and raise your heads because your redemption is at hand.”  Fearsome as the end may be, Jesus gives hope to the good. 

Here are words of Jesus to cherish: “Be vigilant at all times and pray that you have the strength to escape the tribulations that are imminent and to stand before the Son of Man.”  How should we respond? “Lord Jesus do come. I’ll be waiting, but careful too!