Come, Lord Jesus

Ish 2:1-5, Rom. 13:11-14, Mt. 24:37-44. As we commence the new Liturgical Year A with the first Sunday of Advent, the Church indicate the beginning of a renewed commitment to the Christian faith by those who follow Christ, the Lord. Advent is a four-week preparation period leading up to Christmas which focuses on the first of the four themes of the Sundays of Advent, namely: hope, peace, joy and love. We begin with hope, the hope which we can truly find in God alone, as we light the first of the four candles of the Advent wreath. This hope reminds us of the true meaning of Advent from its Latin origin, ‘Adventus’, which means "to arrive” or "Ad-venire", meaning “to come.”

Naturally, we all desire peace because, it is necessary for our spiritual and material progress. It is this peace that we pray for and expect Jesus the 'Prince of Peace' to bring to our hearts, families and world at the end of this season. Isaiah’s vision in today's first reading shows all nations and peoples flocking to the mountain of the Lord, desirous of listening to His teaching and walking in His ways. There shall be no more violence and enmity, but all shall know the peace of the Lord. In the second reading, Paul invites us to be awake, wear the armour of light, put on Jesus Christ, and walk in the way of the Spirit. While in the Gospel, Jesus instructs us to stay alert and be prepared, as the day of the Son of Man will come at the least expected hour. The time He means is not the earthly time (“chronos”), but God’s time (“kairos”). It is God’s appointed time to save His own people and to restore peace to all troubled hearts, families, businesses, work and nations.

May the Lord be with us always in this journey of faith and may all of us have a blessed season of Advent! Amen!!! Good morning, happy Sunday and new month!!!