Monday of the First Week of Advent
Believe it or not, Advent of 2011 has begun! For some of us it may feel as if this preparatory season with the hope of Christmas on the horizon couldn’t come soon enough. For others, we may feel that time has simply flew by as if we were taking down the lights from last Christmas just a few weeks ago. Nevertheless, Advent has arrived and we begin to ask ourselves one very important question, “Am I ready?” But before we can answer this question, I find myself asking another, which is, “What does it mean to be ready?” Because if being “ready for Christmas” is simply sending cards in the mail or getting gifts bought in time, I think we’d all agree that we’d be missing the point. Rather, are we ready for Jesus Christ to once again be born in our lives? This is by far a much more challenging question. Am I prepared to accept Jesus? Am I ready to receive Him? Am I ready?
On the cusp of the new translation of the Mass, this Advent is a little different than years past. The English-speaking Catholic world is officially 24 hours into implementing a new translation of the Roman Missal and its exciting! With new responses and new prayers, this is such a great opportunity for us as Catholics to dig deeper into the Biblical roots of the Mass. And once again, we may be asking the same questions… “Am I ready?” and “What does it mean to be ready?” Because if being “ready for the new Mass” is simply saying the right things at the right time, again I think we’d all agree that we’d be missing the point. Rather, the more we understand what we’re participating in, the more we can give ourselves more completely to Jesus. Am I ready to give myself to Jesus is new ways? Am I ready to give my whole heart, soul, mind, and strength to Him?
I found today’s Gospel reading to be beyond appropriate for the beginning days of Advent in light of the new Mass Translation. As many of us may know, one of our revised responses during the Liturgy of the Eucharist is taken directly from the words of the centurion in today’s Gospel. Following Jesus’ agreeing to come to the home of the centurion and heal his servant, the centurion replies by saying, “Lord, I am not worthy that you should enter under my roof.” (Matt 8:8) We echo these words of the centurion during the Mass as the priest proclaims, “Blessed are those who are called to the Supper of the Lamb.” Following in the humility and faith of the centurion, we must acknowledge that we are not worthy for Jesus in the Eucharist to enter under the roof of our souls. In this way, we ask and answer the question, “Am I ready?” Am I ready to receive Jesus into my body? Into my life? To say “Amen!” as I discern His Body? (1 Cor. 11:29)
As I reflect upon the Centurion’s encounter with our Lord, I recognize that this encounter may first and foremost be described by one word: PERSONAL. As disciples, we cherish the intimate moments with our God. It is these moments that we return to when the hardships of life come our way. We all long for that personal encounter. In fact, we seek after the personal encounter, just as Isaiah prophesized in today’s first reading that the nations would “stream toward” the mountain of the Lord’s house. We too say to ourselves, “Come, let us climb the LORD's mountain, to the house of the God of Jacob. That he may instruct us in his ways, and we may walk in his paths." (Isaiah 2:3) This passage illustrates such a powerful image of people from all nations seeking after the presence of God. But for us, where is this mountain today where people from all nations seek the living God? The Eucharist! It is in the Eucharist that we accept Jesus as our God. It is in the Eucharist that we receive what God has to offer us, which is Himself. Nothing could be more personal. It is in the Eucharist that we see Jesus, our Lord, face to face. And how do we respond when He who loves us beyond words, looks us in the eye? Acknowledging our sinfulness, we say, “Lord, I am not worthy that you should enter under my roof.” Am I ready for this personal encounter? Am I ready to climb this mountain?
I always feel that Mass on Sunday prepares me to be ready for the rest of the week. And, of course, in many, many ways, it does. But, at the same time, I’ve come to the conclusion that I should also be using the rest of the week to become ready for Mass- for my encounter with the living God! Through our daily prayer, through reading Scripture, and in our striving to live a life of virtue, we continue to climb the mountain and God continues to make us ready to receive His sacrifice on the cross, which is made present to us in the Eucharist. Every Mass is a new opportunity to receive Jesus! Every Mass is also a preparation for that ultimate encounter with God in heaven- that day when we will hear the angels, not the priest, proclaim “Blessed are those who are called to the Supper of the Lamb!” (Rev. 19:9) Am I ready for that day? Am I ready for that ultimate encounter?
Today, with Thanksgiving just behind us, may we rejoice over our eucharistia (meaning thanksgiving) meal that we share every Mass and let us pray that this Advent, God will make us ready for that ultimate encounter and transform us more fully into the likeness of His Son, Jesus, our Risen Lord. Amen.
- Ryan Mahle