First Sunday of Advent
I celebrate the Eucharist on most days and on somedays more than once. I have weekday Masses, weekend Masses, funeral Masses, wedding Masses, memorial Masses, healing Masses. I have been a priest now for a little more than 31 years. How many Masses do you think I have celebrated? I wish I had kept a count. I have to be careful, because something we do very often can become routine, a mere ritual, or another chore.
There is something that keeps me focused for Mass. I make a very deliberate, intentional, conscious effort to celebrate each Mass as if it was my first Mass, and more importantly, as if it was my last Mass. If this Mass was indeed my last Mass, I want it to have been the most meaningful, solemn, and fervent Mass I have celebrated. If this was my last Mass, I do not want to stand before God having celebrated a half-hearted Mass or a having preached a homily that did not feed my soul or yours. This focus has done something even more profound. It has given me a focus for my life. I strive to be at the altar with a clean mind, a clean heart, a clean soul, with love, with fervor, and with passion. I know I am not perfect. I know I am weak, and like the rest of humanity, I too have the capacity for sin. I too have the potential for evil. I know I have my flaws. But I try to make the rest of life a preparation to celebrate the next Mass and let the Eucharist flow into the rest of my life, until I am ready for another Mass. Doing this does not just make the Mass meaningful; it has brought meaning and focus to my entire life.
As we begin Advent, today’s scripture readings invite us to live life, each day, and every moment in a way that finds us living meaningfully.
Any Day is the Last Day
Hear what Jesus has to say: “Two men will be out in the field; one will be taken, and one will be left. Two women will be grinding at the mill; one will be taken, and one will be left. Therefore, stay awake! For you do not know on which day your Lord will come” (Mt 24:40-42). The early Church lived in constant anticipation of the imminent coming of Christ.
Two thousand years later, we must understand that the gospel reading is not meant to stoke fear is us. Rather, it points to the very real possibility that life as we know it can end any day; and if and when that happens that we are found living good, loving, purposeful, meaningful, faith-filled, and generous lives. Advent in as invitation to live life with clean mind, a clean heart, a clean soul, with love, with fervor, and with passion.
Living in Confidence, Not in Fear
Advent did not become part of the liturgical calendar until the 5th Century. Early Christians lived each day anticipating the Second Coming of Christ. The tragedy is that, at least in popular culture, the focus of Advent is on preparing for Christmas. But in reality, the focus was on the Second Coming of Christ.
The anticipation of the Second coming of Christ is not meant to be an intimidating experience. Today’s scripture is an invitation to live life in confidence rather than in fear. It takes a certain lifestyle to live in the confidence of encountering Christ.
Last week, I sat and had lunch with someone in recovery. His conversation with me was part of his 12-step journey. After many previous attempts, many relapses, he said, this time it feels different. Besides a new awareness of divine presence, he is learning to take each day for what it offers and live each day the best he can.
It does not have to take anyone to be in recovery to have this approach. The early Christians lived knowing the significance of each day. This Advent, try to focus on having the confidence of being ready for eternity rather the fear of not found ready for eternity.
Eucharistic Lives
I want to get back to where I began my homily. Every Mass is a sacrament of Christ’s life and God’s love. The crucial thing to be aware is that when we participate in this Mass it makes our lives a sacramental too. You may not celebrate Mass as often as I do or for as many reasons I do. But that does not mean that thinking sacramentally about our lives is any less relevant. In fact, as you celebrate this Mass, be intentional about letting the rest of the week flow from this altar and let this coming week also become the preparation for the next Eucharistic celebration. The Church calls this Pascal Mystery – that our lives flow from the life of Christ.
As we leave this celebration let us live lives with clean hearts, clean minds, with love, with fervor, and passion, which in turn, will help us to come the next Mass with clean hearts, clean, minds, with love, with fervor and a deep hunger for God. May the centrality of the Eucharist help us to life in confidence. So what if this was our last day, our last Mass, or our last breath? When we live Eucharistic lives, it will always find its culmination in the life of Jesus Christ.
- Fr. Satish Joseph