TOPICS – 1st Sunday of Advent B

Journey through Advent – First Sunday of Advent 2023

The Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops presents Journey through Advent with the Most Rev. Bishop Jon Hansen, CSsR, Bishop of Mackenzie-Fort Smith. Join us as we reflect on the Scriptures for the Sundays of Advent 2023. A joint initiative of the National Liturgy Office, the Office national de liturgie and the Office for Evangelization and Catechesis.

Ecclesia de Eucharistia

The Eucharist anticipates the final coming of the Lord, for as St. Paul taught, we celebrate the Eucharist “until you [Lord] come in glory” (1 Cor. 11:26). This is the eschatological dimension of the Eucharist—a “straining towards the goal, a foretaste of the fullness of joy promised by Christ (cf. Jn. 15:11)” (18). As with the Holy Spirit, in the Eucharist we receive a share of the life of heaven and are already, in a veiled way, united with Mary and the saints gathered around God’s throne in worship: “The Eucharist is truly a glimpse of heaven appearing on earth” (19).

However, this in no way causes Catholics to lessen our sense of responsibility for the world today, but rather increases it. In a world with so little hope and where so many of the poor are oppressed, the Eucharist is a source of hope. “For this reason too, the Lord wished to remain with us in the Eucharist” (20.2).

Happy new year. It is interesting to think about why the readings start with a warning to be alert. In our culture, we associate the new year with new starts, with beginnings, with things we are resolved to do. Instead, the “start” here is one of remaining in the household and waiting – but alertly – for the return of the master. Readers likely know that the readings of the early Sundays of Advent connect us to the second coming of Christ; before we hear about John the Baptist and march to the manger, we are given readings that speak of the final coming of the king.

SOURCE: CatholicMoralTheology.com

Watching, Waiting, Desiring

MK 13:33-37 – What keeps us alert and watchful? Desire. The final words of the Bible express the summation of human longing: “The Spirit and the bride say come!” Great saints such as Augustine, Gregory, and Bernard all tell us that Christ keeps his bride waiting to increase and stretch her desire. Desire is the faculty that not only pines after the divine gift but also receives it when it is given, so the wider our desire, the more we are capable of receiving. Christ wants us to be as wide open to his gift as possible, stretched in our desire unto infinity, because that’s what he has to offer us: the wild ecstasy of infinite bliss in union with him. Come, Lord Jesus, come!

The Hand of God in All Creation

Indeed, God is certainly present in the universe formed as though clay in the hands of an artist. We may find it somewhat less challenging to recognize God’s presence in the saints, particularly in Mary whose Immaculate Conception is celebrated this week. And the season of Advent provides the opportunity to discover and acknowledge the hand of God in all creation: in each of us and also in nature itself.

As Pope Francis reminds us in Laudato Si’: “The human person grows more, matures more and is sanctified more to the extent that he or she ethers into relationships, going out from themselves to live in communion with God, with others and with all creatures.” (240)

These weeks ahead are a time to develop new habits in appreciation of the gift which is cause for great joy and celebration. We have time to understand ourselves more fully as coworkers with God in making this planet a better place for all to live. That involves a deep conversion which encompasses dying to the habit of overconsumption and waste, while opening ourselves to a different lifestyle – one that recognizes God’s presence and respects that presence in all people, and also cares for our common home.

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When Unspoken Threats Loom Before Us

Today’s text can read like something from a piece of fiction: the Hunger Games, or Star Wars, or some other fantastical drama. The images — darkness; lightless suns; lightless moons; stars falling from heaven; visions in the clouds; angels coming to gather the chosen — conjure up distressing images of unpredictability, as well as the unspoken threat of the fate of those who are not the chosen. 

Interestingly, the word for elect or chosen in Greek is eklektos a word meaning “selected” or “chosen” or “possessing excellence” but a word which has influenced modern English’s word “eclectic”. It demonstrates to us, even in the history of language, how what is seen as superior or favoured in one era can be seen as marginal or even peculiar in the next. 

This detour into etymology is appropriate in the consideration of dystopia. While the melodrama of the first Sunday of Advent’s gospel text seems distant, it isn’t. In the air as we prepare for this most luscious of church seasons are threats of war, immature leaders throwing their bruised egos around, rising awareness of the impact of plastic on seas, a refugee crisis that is causing widespread displacement, policies on asylum being written by people whose forebears sought asylum, and inflated bluster that is threatens even peaceful countries. And this is only what is making the headlines: there are countless wars and skirmishes, bombs and bewilderments that are everyday for many but make the headlines for none. 

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NOVEMBER 27, 2023 – Pope Francis remains in a hospital in Rome following a weekend diagnosis of breathing difficulty and inflammation of the lungs. The 86 year old is in good and stable condition and the Vatican says a CT scan has ruled out pneumonia. This morning, the Holy Father met with the president of Paraguay. The Vatican released photos of the pope’s meeting with Paraguayan President Santiago Peña, which showed the pope smiling and using a cane to walk. Pope Francis also continues to prepare for the apostolic journey to Dubai later this week. However, Vatican spokesperson said, “To facilitate the pope’s recovery, some important engagements scheduled for these days have been postponed so that he can devote the desired time and energy to them.” EWTN Vatican News Correspondent, Colm Flynn has more.

The Possibility of a Better World

Advent is an expression of our faith in the possibility of a better world. We don’t have to be at each other’s throats. We can ‘do right’ in the areas of race relations, family obligations, and personal responsibilities. We can ‘do good’ to the poor, the elderly, the homeless, and to all our brothers and sisters at home and abroad. We can become blameless, beacons of social justice, examples of faith and love, peacemakers.

The message of Advent is to “be constantly on the watch!” We base this constant watch not on fear but on hope in God’s “promise of eternal life.” The promise of Christmas is a joyful anticipation that “The Lord will shower his gifts, and our land will yield its fruit.”

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Repentance from the Works of Death

The beginning of the Advent season focuses our attention on the future coming of Christ in glory, and echoes a theme of repentance as a preparation for that coming. Christ’s coming ushers in the final triumph of life over death. The preparation for that coming, therefore, includes repentance from the works of death, including abortion. Not only individuals but nations likewise need to repent. 

When we battle against the Culture of Death in its various forms, we may often pray as in today’s First Reading, “Lord, rend the heavens and come down!” Why, for example, does the Lord just not appear from the sky to stop the abortions from happening? The fact is that he did come down in the Incarnation of Jesus Christ, and through the Lord’s clear teachings continues to put the truth in our minds, and the grace in our hearts, so that we can be the ones who bear witness to life amid the Culture of Death, work tirelessly to transform that culture, and intervene to save the helpless. 

Faith and Patience

Isa 64:1-4 We see two key elements in this passage that are essential to recovery: faith and patience. The people of Israel looked at their awesome, powerful, incomparable God. This increased their faith. Then they patiently waited for him to bring about their deliverance. Such matters often don’t happen instantly or according to our timetable. If we persevere in doing our part, God will bring us victory in due time. If we are faithful and trust God, he will help us to achieve our goals in recovery.

Isa 64:5 Isaiah admitted that he and his people were all sinners, and he asked how they could be saved. The answer includes the first two steps in the recovery process: admitting they were powerless, that life was unmanageable, and that only God could restore them. Of course we must go further than this if we are to succeed in recovery. We need to give our lives to God and let him work in us. He can and will deliver us from our dependencies.

1 Cor 1:4-9 Although there were problems among the Corinthian believers, Paul began his letter to them on a positive note. He understood that confronting others about their failures is more effective when we approach them diplomatically. We need to gain a hearing by recognizing the good things in the lives of those we need to confront. In this way, we show that we are concerned about them and value them as people. Our interventions will be effective only when we first show that we love the people we want to help.

On Dec. 3, the season of Advent will start. Advent is a sacred season where we call to mind the importance of Christ in our lives and prepare our hearts and minds for the celebration of Christ’s birth at Christmas and His Second Coming. This Advent is the shortest it can be since the fourth Sunday of Advent is on Christmas Eve. Advent is such a busy time and can feel like a whirlwind of activities and to-do lists to be ready for Christmas with gifts to buy or prepare, food to make, parties to attend, and clothing to sort out.

Sometimes we can arrive at Christmas Eve and not know what happened as Advent has disappeared. We may still have a lot of preparations to do for Christmas or are prepared yet feel rather stressed or frazzled from pushing ourselves to get everything done. This year, there could be an even greater likelihood of that happening since Advent is so short. How can you take time to prepare for the coming of Christmas and Jesus’ Second Coming in a more intentional way as a couple this Advent? — READ MORE

Protecting our frail priestly vocation

A very respected vocation director was here visiting the North American College once and expressed concern in this very area. Lamenting the departure of two of his young priests, he commented, “How could they think their priesthood could survive when they went out six nights a week and did not roll in until after midnight? How could they think their celibacy would survive when they kept exclusive company with attractive women? I worry,” he concluded, “that some of our young priests are overly confident, almost cocky, and do not realize the delicacy of their own vocation. Why are they not more vigilant?” Vigilance — yet another synonym for prudence.

So the wise man knows his limitations. We used to call them “occasions of sin,” defined as any person, place, or thing that makes sin easier. Certain people lead us to gossip, griping, cynicism — we best avoid them; when we go to a certain place where we tend to drink too much — we avoid it; when we feel ourselves attracted sexually to another person — we avoid her — or him. Because the prudent priest knows that his uncompromised priority is eternal life through fidelity to his vocation, and that pearl of great price must be protected at all costs!

I read an excellent article by Father Dominic Maruca, S.J., on just this point. “It is considered a mark of wisdom,” Father Dominic says, “not to overestimate one’s own strength or underestimate the vehemence of passion.” He then goes on to elaborate four danger signs that, from his experience, usually result in a priest leaving the active ministry. They are:

1. an absorption in secular activities instead of the classically priestly ones of preaching, teaching, and celebrating the sacraments, with a consequent desire to live alone and shun external signs of the clerical state such as dress and title;
2. plenty of money;
3. a declining interest in prayer and the sacraments, especially Mass and confession; or
4. an exclusive affective relationship.

What this sage spiritual director exhorts is that we be prudent in protecting our frail priestly vocation, because we cannot do it alone.

God’s gifts empower

For our purposes, it is especially important to note that Paul is con­vinced that the believers in Corinth have received the spiritual resources they need to fulfill their calling. God has called them, and he has given them gifts that will enable them to be “blameless on the day of our Lord Jesus Christ” (1 Cor. 1:8). Although the day of perfection has not arrived yet, whether at work or anywhere else, Christians already have access to the gifts that will come to complete fruition on that day.

It is hard to imagine that all Corinthian Christians felt as if their work was a special occupation designed individually for them by God. Most of them were slaves or common laborers, as we will see. What Paul must mean is that whether or not each person’s occupation seems special, God gives the gifts needed to make everyone’s work contribute to God’s plan for the world. No matter how insignificant our work seems, no matter how much we long to have a different job, the work we do now is important to God.

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