HOMILY FOR THE FIRST SUNDAY OF ADVENT (A)

Fr Billy Swan

Dear friends. As we enter the month of December, we know that it is the month of greatest darkness. It is dark in the morning when we get up and gets dark quickly in late afternoon. In only three short weeks, it will again be the darkest day of the year. This is a time of darkness.

In the midst of this season of darkness we celebrate the birth of Christ, the hope for the world. Advent is a time of preparation for the coming of Christ into our lives and into the world. He came into the darkness of the first Christmas night in Bethlehem over 2,000 years ago. He comes into our lives today and he will come again in future glory. Advent is about the past, the present and the future.

The dark days of winter and the fact that the leaves are dying around us, reminds of the darkness of our own lives and of humanity. Think of those who right now suffer the consequences of violence and war, those caught up in real poverty, lives that are filled with fear, lives that are broken by sickness and bereavement, the lives of the refugee and those with little light for the future. Darkness can take over anyone’s life at any time. The lights can suddenly go out.

At these times, we often turn to candles as a symbol of hope. That’s why the candles on the Advent wreath speak to us as a sign of hope. In the days before electricity, the darkness of homes in Ireland were lit up by candles and tilly lamps. For many years people have lit candles as a sign that even in the deepest darkness, the light of hope can shine. Advent is not a time to turn away from our struggles or turn a blind eye to the problems of humanity. But it is a time to discover once more that we are not messiahs or Saviours and cannot solve all of  life’s problems on our own. The great cry of Advent is the cry of the first Christians at the very end of the Bible: ‘Maranatha…Come Lord Jesus!’ This is our cry too. ‘Come Lord Jesus and be a Saviour to me and to all of humanity’.

The readings today are not intended to frighten or scare us. They are to encourage us not to be distracted but to be ready. They tell us that we should never do anything, should the Lord come instantly upon us, that would cause us embarrassment, guilt or shame. They are a call not to be sucked in by all the commercialism and business of this time of year but to turn once again to who is the reason for the season – Christ and his light of hope. This is the real message of the Gospel today that warns us against drifting along without an intentional focus or commitment to faith. The Gospel tells us that this drifting is dangerous for we risk getting swept away in the hustle and bustle while forgetting what Christmas is all about.

As the Gospel today reminds us, there are so many things that compete for our priorities. Something or someone comes first. Advent is a time to put God back in first place so that our hearts belong to Him and that everything else finds its proper place in relation to him.

May this Advent at the end of the Jubilee Year of Hope be a time of spiritual renewal for all of us as we prepare for his coming. May our faith bring us hope in the darkness at this time of year.