WATCH AND PRAY
First Reading: Isaiah 63: 16-17, 19 and 64: 1 and 3-8
Second Reading: 1 Corinthians 1:3-9
Gospel Reading: Mark 13: 33-37
*First reading is from the book of Prophet Isaiah. Isaiah laments over the sad state of the chosen people of God who had returned from the exile in Babylon. He recalls the Lord God's past goodness to His people. The Prophet prays that the heavens may be rent open and the saviour come among His people. This prayer is echoed in the liturgy during this holy season of Advent.
*Second reading is from the first letter of St. Paul to Corinthians. Paul thanks God for all the graces the people of Corinth have received in the past. He earnestly urges them to remain faithful and sinless as they await the return of the Lord Jesus. Paul assures the Christian community at Corinth and all of us that as they/we await the coming of Christ in glory the Holy Spirit keeps them/us steadfast in bearing witness to Him.
Stay awake Advent marks the beginning of our journey of a new liturgical year. It calls us to wake up and look at our relationship with God. We are His servants in whom He has placed His enormous trust. Today's Gospel reading is from St. Mark. We have a short little parable for our reflection. It is about a householder who goes on a long journey. Before leaving he called his servants and gave each of them a job to do. He urged them to be responsible and not to fall asleep. He singled out the doorkeeper and told him: "When I return I want to find you awake." Christ's story ends there with that warning ringing in our ears. Let us take this story a little further: concentrating only on the doorkeeper. Perhaps the greatest danger facing him is not so much that he may fall asleep on the job but rather it will become just another job and nothing more. A person can get used to anything and complacency follows. Advent invites us to wait in joyful hope for the coming of our saviour Jesus Christ.
"The surest road to hell is the gradual one." - C.S. Lewis.
*"Sunday Homilies with Fr. Joy Joseph SVD" is available on YouTube from the first Sunday of Advent, 29th November, 2020. Kindly subscribe to it.
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