We are in the season of Advent, the beginning of the church year. It always begins four Sundays before Christmas. Advent, from the Latin word Avenus, means coming.
What or who is coming? Advent is a time of waiting, longing and preparing for the coming.
Waiting is something we are all familiar with - waiting for the train, plane or bus, waiting in the emergency room, waiting for test results, waiting for the birth of a child, waiting for graduation day, waiting for Christmas.
During Advent, we wait to celebrate the birth of Jesus, which occurred over 2,000 years ago. Jesus our saviour came into our world to redeem us. Jesus the promised messiah came into our midst as one of us. (Jn 1:14) God is a faithful, loving God and sent us his only Son to save us. (Jn 3:16)Jesus suffered and died for us, gave his life for us so that we could enjoy the gift of eternal life. Jesus promised us that he would not abandon us but would send us the Spirit to abide in us and be our advocate and guide us on our journey in life. Jesus kept his promise. His spirit abides in us. (1Cor 3:16,Gal 4:6,)
We are also waiting for the second coming of Jesus at the end of the world, when he will come in glory, reign over all, and bring us into complete and full oneness with God our Father, himself and all our brothers and sisters in Christ Jesus.
Each of us and all of us long and yearn for the fullness of Redemption. We are aware of sin and evil in our lives and in our world. We long to be freed from the oppression of sin and evil.
God is present with us, is present in scripture, in Eucharist and in all of creation. Daily we become more aware of the presence of God in our lives, in daily events, circumstances and in all of history.
Advent is a time of preparation and renewal. John the Baptist cried out "Prepare the way of the Lord. Make straight his paths "(Lk 3: 3,4) What is the way of the Lord? It is the way of love, forgiveness and peace. God is love and we are made in the image and likeness of God. Jesus gave his life out of love for us. God sent his only son to come into our midst as one of us and save us out of love.
We live in this time between the "already" and the" not yet." Jesus has come, that's the real reason for the Christmas season, and is yet to come a second time in his glory at the end of the world. Yes we wait, we long for and prepare for Jesus Christ who is yet to come and bring us to the fullness of redemption. In the mean time, we are called to be followers of Jesus and to continue his mission of bringing love, forgiveness and peace into our world, making God our Father known.
"Anyone and anything that brings good or God-ness into our lives is a blessing. To bless is to bring the touch of God, the touch of love and goodness, to another by our presence ... "(Joyce Rupp, "The Cup of Our Life" Page 132.) We all know of people who have done this; for example, Mother Theresa of Calcutta, Jean Vanier (of Canada) the founder of L'Arche homes for the mentally handicapped, Archbishop Oscar Romero of El Salvador who gave his life for the cause of the poor. They gave of themselves out of love for others. You can probably think of others in your family, and in your neighbourhood who have been a blessing to you.
May we at this time of Advent open our hearts, and our lives to Jesus who is the way, the truth, and the life.
May Christ dwell in our hearts through faith, that we may be rooted in love. (Eph 3:17)
Sister Trudy Zunti is a member of the Sisters of St. Joseph Roman Catholic religious order working out of St. Lawrence parish on Cree Road.
