Time to Prepare!
Dec
2
Written by:
Sunday, December 02, 2007
1st Sunday of Advent
December 2, 2007
"You must be prepared, for at an hour you do not expect, the Son of Man will come" Matthew 24:44
One thing we learn from this Sunday's reading about the end of the world is very clear: they didn't see it coming. They will be buying and shopping and marrying and going about their normal lives, when all of a sudden, the end will come, and catch them by surprise!
Advent is supposed to be a time of preparation. For many of us, December is the busiest month of the year. For others, it is the loneliest month as well. We are supposed to be prepared. Prepared? Prepared for what? Christmas, for one thing. Not only the shopping and cooking and decorating, but our hearts as well. We are called as Christians to be prepared, because Christ promises that, when he comes, he will enter our lives and take us by surprise.
Christ is not just talking about the end of the world here. Cemeteries are full of people who had plans for the day they died. Death caught them by surprise! No one likes to think about this, but the truth is that our whole world around us and all that we have is held in place by –only one heartbeat – yours. Christ warns us to be ready for him, because he could come at anytime.
Christ also enters our lives with unexpected challenges or graces. If we are not prepared to receive them, they will go to waste. Expect Christ to come in a way you are not anticipating this Christmas. After all, no one expected God to be born in this world as a baby!
One way to be ready for Christ's sudden arrival in your life is by preparing a gift for him in advance. We can each think of one area in our lives that needs a little more conversion. What area of my life will I repent of this December, and give as a gift to Jesus this Christmas? What might I need to confess?
Father Gary