First Sunday of Advent
Also Read: Mass Readings for 1 December 2024 Mass Reading Reflection for 1 December 2024
Gospel: Luke 21: 25-28, 34-36
“And then they will see the Son of Man coming in a cloud with power and great glory.”
On this first Sunday of Advent, Jesus invites us to start with the end in mind. The goal of every Christian is to greet and welcome Jesus with joy on His glorious second arrival. Thus, the reading for today is a perfect start for the advent season. The Liturgical year starts with celebrating the arrival of Jesus as our Savior and concludes with celebrating the second coming of Jesus as the King and judge of the universe.
There are many who starts with the end in mind, but forgets it midway—an anecdote shared by Fr. Tony Kadavil quoting Msgr. Arthur Tonne drives the theme well.
“Several years ago, a bus driver in Oklahoma reached an unusual record. In 23 years, he had driven a bus over 900,000 miles without a single accident. When asked how he had done it, he gave this simple answer: “Watch the road.” ” (Fr. Tony Kadavil, Sunday Homilies).
Advent is a great time to remind ourselves to ‘watch the roads.’ While driving we need to focus on the road and the driving instructions displayed. Instead, if you start looking at others driving, the attractive billboards, the nice buildings on the sides, and the beautiful sceneries, you are most likely not to reach your destination in shape. You are your driver. Your goal is to reach your destination in good shape. So, always watch the road.
The road is not a kind place. There are bad drivers, billboards designed to distract, buildings constructed to attract, and people passing around aimlessly. Hence it is important to focus on the road, the rules, the traffic signs, and above all the destination in mind. The same is true with our spiritual lives.
Jesus is precisely telling us how to complete our road to salvation. Look at the few directives He gives in the short gospel passage, ‘Stand erect’, ‘Raise your heads’, ‘Beware’, ‘Do not become drowsy’, do not be carried away by ‘the anxieties of life’, ‘Be vigilant’, and ‘Pray.’ Each of those words deserves our meditation.
Let us not be too worried about the road, because we are on the road to reach our destination safely. Our destination is to welcome Jesus with joy on his glorious second coming. The month of December, and Christmas celebrations in particular, reminds us of the need to prepare well in advance to welcome Jesus home with joy. And Jesus has taught us well to take our road to eternity safely.
Amen.
