Advent: Preparing for Jesus' Three Arrivals

1st Sunday of Advent, year C | Lk 21:25-28, 34-36

Most Wednesday mornings in Rome the Pope gives an audience in St. Peter’s square. It is a highly anticipated event! People line up hours before access to the square is even possible in the hopes of securing a good seat. After they are seated, people wait in expectation for the Pope to appear on the raised platform at the head of the square. As they wait, the expectation of the people is palpable. They cannot wait for the Pope to arrive. Would you wait with this kind of expectation to meet the Pope? I certainly would! Now, consider this. Call to mind the great expectation of those people waiting to meet the Pope. Now, ask yourself, “am I waiting with the same attention and and excitement to meet Jesus?”

Source

The Gospel today speaks to us about the need to be ready to meet Jesus. At the start of the Gospel, Jesus uses apocalyptic, symbolic language in order to describe his future coming. Jesus identifies himself as the Son of Man, an enigmatic saviour-type figure that is described in the book of Daniel (c. 7). Jesus’ description of his coming is meant to evoke wonder and impress upon us the great importance of his coming. After his arrival, nothing will ever be the same again. Jesus predicts that some will respond to his coming with fear. For those who are ready and waiting for Jesus, however, their response will be quite different. They will hold their heads high. Jesus’ coming will be a moment of joy because he is their saviour. What is important, Jesus says, is that we are ready to meet him. We need to pray and stay sober and alert. We do not know when Jesus will come, but we want to be among those who meet Jesus with heads held high. We want to be ready to meet Jesus with joy.

The season of Advent, which we start this Sunday, reminds us that there are different ways that Jesus comes into the world. The words Advent comes from the Latin adventus and means “coming” or “arrival”. In one of his homilies, St. Bernard of Clairvaux says that there are three “arrivals” or “comings” of Jesus that Advent is meant to call our attention to. The first coming of Jesus was when he was born in Bethlehem. The third coming of Jesus is when he will come again at the end of time, bringing to completion his work of salvation and creating a new heaven and a new earth (Rev 21). This is the coming of Jesus that the Gospel describes. The second and intermediate arrival - or more accurately arrivals - of Jesus is between this first and third coming. This second coming of Jesus is all the different ways that Jesus enters our life here and now: 1) in our hearts in prayer; 2) in the sacraments; and 3) in those who suffer and are in need (Matthew 25).

Advent is a time to train ourselves to be attentive to the different ways Jesus comes into our life. Some of you have probably watched the show “Undercover Boss”. In this show, a high-level executive leaves the comfort of his or her cushy office, puts on a disguise and goes to work in a low-level job. There, the executive tries to learn what things are really like in the company and what the rank and file think of him or her. Usually, the rest of the employees do not recognize their undercover boss. Jesus often comes into our lives as an undercover boss. Often we can miss him because the disguise that he wears is not what we expect. Perhaps we expect that Jesus will come in a glorious, wonderful and pleasing disguise. In describing her experience of working with the poor, Mother Teresa would often remark that Jesus is present in the poor in a “distressing disguise”. In the poor and suffering, Mother Teresa was able to see Jesus. She understood that the love and service she showed them, she was also showing to Jesus. Jesus can come to us in various distressing disguises: a coworker who is arrogant and difficult to get along with; the poor person we meet who asks us for some change; an acquaintance who constantly asks for one favour or another;  a family member or friend who is struggling with an addiction. Jesus often meets us in a distressing disguise. In showing patience, kindness and care to these individuals, we show love to Jesus.

As we start the season of Advent today, we prepare ourselves to welcome Jesus. Not only do we want to get ready for Christmas, but we also want to become more attentive and capable of welcoming Jesus in the various ways that he comes into our life each and every day. Can you think of one individual in your life who may be Jesus in a distressing disguise?

An apocalypse of hope

33rd Sunday of Ordinary Time, Year B | Daniel 12:1-3; Mark 13:24-32

I really like to watch “apocalyptic” movies (e.g. Mad Max, the Matrix, World War Z, Snowpiercer etc.). These movies describe a not too distant future in which the world as we know it has been destroyed by some plague, cataclysmic war, environmental destruction or zombie uprising . Although these movies often show a small group of people battling for survival in their new reality, overall these movies are rather grim and fear-inducing. Perhaps I need to reflect on why I like them so much! In the Bible, we find a significant number of apocalyptic texts. The first reading and Gospel today are two examples. Although these apocalyptic texts share some similarities with the movies I have mentioned, there are important differences with respect to 1) who is the main audience of the texts and 2) the emotional response that the works are meant to evoke.

Significantly, apocalyptic texts in the Bible are intended to inspire downtrodden people with a sense of hope. The purpose of apocalyptic movies seem to be quite different. These movies are aimed at a society that is relatively comfortable. The stories are meant to be cautionary tales or inspire fear by pointing out what could happen if suddenly all the things we have are taken away. The first reading today was from the book of Daniel. This text was written in response to persecution of the Jewish people by the Greek King Antiochus IV around the year 165 BC. At this time, Antiochus IV tried to impose Greek culture and religion upon the Jews. He forbade circumcision and Jewish worship. Many Jews were violently persecuted and killed. The book of Daniel was meant give hope to the suffering. Through the use of imaginative and figurative language, the text inspires readers to believe that God is in control. Texts describe battles in heaven which mirror the conflicts on earth. The first reading describes that Michael is a leader in these battles. Just as God triumphs in these heavenly battles, so will God ultimately liberate his people on earth. Elsewhere in the book of Daniel (e.g. chapter 7), an enigmatic figure called the Son of Man is presented. The Son of Man is described as coming on clouds. He receives the power from God - called the “Ancient of Days” - to conquer and rule on behalf of God’s people. The message that God will eventually triumph over all that oppresses his people is meant to fill the downtrodden with a sense of hope.

Coin depicting Antiochus IV

Similarly, the Gospel today is meant to inspire those who suffer with the truth that Jesus is in control and will ultimately save them from their tribulations. Like the book of Daniel, the Gospel of Mark was probably written for a community that was suffering persecution or a severe setback. In the portion of Mark we heard today, Jesus uses apocalyptic language. First, he paints a vision of the “times after the tribulation” in which the sun and moon are darkened and the heavens quake. This suggests an undoing of the creation of the sun and the moon that God accomplished on the fourth day of creation recounted in the first chapter of Genesis. The message here is that the current state of the world will come to an end. This does not refer merely to the end of the world, but also to the end of the suffering that the people are enduring now. God will overcome the circumstances that are pressing down on the people and create something better for them. This vindication will come through Jesus. In the Gospel, Jesus identifies himself as the Son of Man, the mysterious figure presented in Daniel. Jesus, like the Son of Man, will come on clouds. Since clouds are often associated in the Old Testament with manifestations of God (e.g. Exod 24:16), with this imagery, Jesus seems to be highlighting his own divinity. At the same time, just at the Son of Man received authority and a mission from the Ancient of Days in Daniel, so Jesus was sent by his Father to save humanity from their sorrow. Through the use of rich, biblical imagery, Jesus communicates a clear message. “I know you are suffering now but have hope! I am with you. The time is coming soon when I will overcome what is troubling you and create a new and better situation for you.”

Above all, this message from the Gospel should encourage us when we are in the midst of our own tribulations. Jesus’ apocalyptic language is meant to give hope. Jesus, the Son of Man, has been given power and authority over all things. He will tear down the situations that oppress us and create something new and better for us. He loves us and cares for us. Perhaps we are currently overcome with desolation or depression. The Gospel is an opportunity to remind ourselves that God will eventually bring some consolation into our life as He has done in the past. Maybe current events, whether in politics or within the Church, fill us with anxiety. Jesus’ words remind us that he is in control. He has the power to overcome discord and unjust structures. Perhaps you or someone you love is battling illness. The Gospel is a reminder that Jesus is close to you and that there is hope that he can bring healing. Finally, when we come face to face with the reality of death, Jesus words are meant to encourage. Even after death he creates for a new and better life.

Unlike apocalyptic movies which communicate fear, the apocalyptic language in the first reading and Gospel is meant to encourage us. What area is your life is causing you difficulty? Let us invite Jesus into our lives, confident that he can and will overcome our sufferings and bring about something better.

Which is the first of all the commandments?

31 Sunday of OT | Deut 6:2-6; Mark 12:28-34

Imagine for a moment that a mother is dropping off her child for their first day at a new school. The mother and her child are close by one another speaking. The mother is giving her child some last minute advice for how the child should behave in the new school they are entering for the first time. What advice do you think that the mother would give the child in this situation?

In the first reading, Moses is in much the same situation as this mother as he is giving the people of Israel some important final instructions before they enter the land God promised them. The context of the book of Deuteronomy, from which today’s first reading is taken, is interesting. The last four books of the Pentateuch - Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers and Deuteronomy - all cover the span of Moses life. These books tell the story of how God liberated the people of Israel from slavery in Egypt and led them to the promised land. The entire book of Deuteronomy occurs on one day: the final day of Moses’ life. On this day, Moses and the people of Israel are gathered on the plains of Moab, on the verge of entering the promised land. Deuteronomy is composed largely the last words of Moses to Israel. Just as the mother will not enter the new school with her child, Moses will not enter the land with Israel. Like the mother, Moses is giving final instructions to Israel about how they should best live in the new land land that they will soon enter.

Moses’ most important advice, which we find in the first reading, is that the people love God in a wholehearted fashion. The passage from Deuteronomy 6:4 onwards is often called the “schema”, which is the Hebrew imperative “listen!”, which begins Moses’ exhortation. Just as it was at the time of Jesus, the schema is a fundamental prayer for the Jewish people today. In fact, we find the schema on the lips of Jesus in the Gospel today. In one beautiful custom, Jewish people will place a copy of the schema in an object called a mezuzah and fix the mezuzah to their doorposts. This practice serves as a powerful reminder to those passing through the door about how they should live in whatever room or building that they are entering. The schema has a simple yet profound logic. There is only one God. God is meant to be loved. If there were many gods, then we would be bound to love each of these gods with a divided heart. There is, however, only one God. For this reason, we need to love God with all our hearts, souls and mind. This is an important reminder for us. We can easily give our love to other “gods” in our lives like money or reputation. As a result, our focus from God is divided. The schema challenges us to be honest about the different false gods we love. It is a reminder to redirect our hearts back to God.

A mezuzah (source)

In the Gospel, Jesus specifies that loving God necessitates loving our neighbour. Jesus, when asked by a scribe “which is the greatest of the commandments”, bends the question a bit. He does not just give one commandment. First, he responds with the schema. Jesus then adds another commandment, this time from Leviticus (19:18), which has the effect of clarifying what it means to love God wholeheartedly: love your neighbour as yourself. As is often mentioned, this command to love your neighbour implicitly contains a third commandment: you need to love yourself. Here, we are not talking about self absorption or inordinate pride. We need to recognize that we are good. We have been created by God and God does not make junk! If we don’t love ourselves, it is hard to love others. Often, people who treat others badly, do so out of a deep self-loathing. Jesus’ response regarding what is the greatest commandment is an expression of the practical significance of the incarnation. In Jesus, we believe that God has become a human being, thereby linking God and humanity forever. If we really believe this, then loving God means loving those around us. If we do not, we cannot claim to love God.

What advice did you think that the mother would say to the child who is about to enter a new school? Perhaps you answered with some form of the commandments found in today’s readings: 1) love God; 2) have a proper love for yourself; and 3) love your neighbour. This is not just great advice for a child, but for each one of us. After Israel heard Moses' instructions at the threshold of the promised land, they had a choice: they could follow his advice or not. Jesus has told us what it takes to live in the kingdom of God. Let us choose to follow his advice!