With the First Sunday in Advent, we begin a new Church year. So, we can wish each other: “Happy New Year!” or “Happy New Beginnings!” As usual, we begin the year with the four Sundays of Advent leading up to Christmas.
“Advent” is a word we use in ordinary English and it comes from a Latin word which simply means “coming.” So we speak of the “advent of winter,” the “advent of the holiday season,” or the “advent of change.” In our case, though, what “coming” are we talking about? Obviously, it is the coming of Jesus at Christmas. And this is true, but it is a lot more than that.
St. Bernard of Clairvaux wrote: “Advent is the celebration of three ‘comings’ of the Lord. Two are visible, and one is seemingly invisible. The first coming was the coming of Christ in history, the Incarnation of Christ taking human flesh in order to save the world. The third and final coming will take place at the consummation of the world. The in-between coming is constant, yet largely hidden. It is the coming of Christ in the hearts of disciples, the everyday ‘advent’ of Christ in the hearts of believers.”
***
This First Sunday of Advent challenges us to be alert and ready, always. We do this in part by keeping in touch with those around us, doing our best to live lives of love, of compassion, of forgiveness, of honesty, and of integrity. We also do this by keeping in touch with our God through lives of prayer and frequent celebration of the Sacraments. Perhaps the simplest and deepest prayer is to be aware of the active presence of God and His Son permeating every single moment of every single day: “O Lord, help us to recognize you and respond to you in love through every person and every experience of this day.” If we live and pray constantly in this way, there will be nothing whatever to fear. We will be ready for the Lord whenever and however He comes, and we will run to meet him as a friend to a friend. Happy New Year! Happy New Beginnings!
