FIRST SUNDAY OF ADVENT YEAR C 2018

MAY THE COMING OF OUR SAVIOR JESUS CHRIST, IGNITE IN YOU THE GENUINE LOVE FOR GOD, IN ORDER TO LIVE THE USUAL UNUSUALLY WELL FOR HIS SAKE, SO AS TO RECEIVE THE BLESSINGS PROMISED BY GOD.            +JOHN I. OKOYE

                                     DOCTRINE AND FAITH 
(Jer 33,14-16; I Thess 3,12-4,2 

Luke 21:25-28,34-36: Year C: 2018/19)

This Sunday, the first Sunday of the Liturgical Year ushers in, the season of Advent. The three readings in one way or the other touch on hope. The first reading, a prophetic oracle contains the word of the Lord that announces a future wherein the promise of God for the redemption of the entire chosen people will be fulfilled. The second feature of this promise is its Davidic character. A shoot, a sign of new life springing from previous life, will be raised up for the Davidic house. The promised shoot probably comes from the royal line who becomes the agent of the promised redemption. This will be accomplished because the shoot will practice justice and righteousness in the land, two characteristics associated with the anointed ruler (cf. Isaiah 9,6). The oracle next turns its attention to indicate future salvation, safety and security to Judah and Jerusalem.
The last line holds profound importance. Jerusalem, the city whose name means “foundation of peace,” is here given a new name, “the LORD our justice.” From this, one could conclude that the real foundation of the city’s peace is justice and that the basis of this justice is the quality of its commitment to the LORD. The message of this passage, then, includes an implied call for recommencement. The oracle itself sketches the character of the future covenantal relationship between God and the people. It begins with an announcement that God will deliver them to safety, and it ends with the people grounding their salvation in God’s righteousness.

The 2nd reading is Paul’s wishful prayer that the Thessalonians increase (grow to, or produce an abundance) and abound (enjoy an excess) in love. He is asking for their spiritual growth and maturity. He does not ask that love increase but that the believers’ capacity for growth be expanded so they can fill it with love. Furthermore, it is his wishful prayer that their love be both communal (for one another) and universal (for all). Such love breaks out of ethnocentric (evaluating other cultures according to preconceptions originating in the standards and customs of one's own culture) bounds and, like the love Paul himself possesses, resembles the inclusive love of God. This kind of universal love pervades the entire being of the one loving because it flows from the heart, which is believed to be the seat of understanding and will and the place where the hidden motives of life and conduct take shape. When such a heart has been strengthened and expanded, love can overflow abundantly. Paul desires this kind of living for his converts so that when they must appear in the light of God’s glory at the time of the coming of Christ, they will be found blameless in holiness. The urgent exhortation that follows (4,1-2) encourages the Thessalonians to conduct themselves (the Greek verb is peripateo, or walk) according to the ethical and moral standards of the Christian tradition. The instruction Paul handed down to them is rooted in the authority of the Lord Jesus. Paul is asking them to do nothing more than the teaching of Jesus requires of them. In the first part of this passage he expresses a wish that the Christians mature in their capacity to love. Here he urges them to advance along the paths of righteous living. He wishes and he exhorts so that these Christians will be blameless at the coming of the Lord Jesus.

 

In the gospel reading, Jesus talks about upheavals that will proceed the end of the world. The upheaval described here, whether it is meant as cosmic, national, or spiritual, will cause such anguish that people will die of fright. Despite this, Jesus tells his listeners to stand erect and raise their heads when all of these happen rather than cover in fear. For those who have been faithfully awaiting God’s revelation, this will not be a time of punishment. Rather, it will be the advent of the new age of fulfilment. In order to ensure that this will, indeed, be the case, Jesus further tells his listeners how they should prepare for that time (vv. 34-36). The fundamental exhortation is: Beware! Take Heed! Be Alert! Don’t be caught by surprise! Although there will be extraordinary signs announcing this upcoming event, the exact time of the revelation is unknown. That is why believers must avoid any kind of behaviour that might jeopardise their watchfulness, whether it be carousing (drinking alcohol and enjoying oneself with others in a noisy, lively way) and drunkenness or simply preoccupation with the anxieties of daily life.

The readings for this First Sunday contain a number of promises, all pointing to the same reality, namely, peace and fulfilment. Because, here, there is a promise of blessing, we can conclude that they were not yet a part of the people’s lives. The pledge of a descendant of David assured the people that justice would eventually be established in the land and the people would then be able to live there in peace and security. The promise of the coming of the Son of Man was one of redemption rather than destruction. Clearly these are promises filled with hope. The promises are made to needy people, people who are longing for peace and the fulfilment only God can give. Each of the readings depicts a dimension of suffering, suffering that has often been brought about by the people themselves. However, the promises are assurances that the end of their suffering was in sight. The promises actually tell us more about the God who makes them than about those to whom they are made. They reveal a loving and provident God, a merciful and forgiving God. This is a God who does not hold grudges but who gives second, third, even numberless chances. Furthermore, because it is God who promises, we can be sure the promises will be fulfilled. These are promises full of hope. 

In the readings for today the coming of the Lord is clearly envisioned as a time of expectation, not of fear and trembling. Although the earlier tradition about the Day of the Lord included the aspect of punishment of the wicked, the focus here is on redemption. This is true about all of the readings but especially the psalm response. In it we pray to be guided in the ways of God, who is our saviour. The time of expectation may be preceded by apocalyptic occurrences—signs in the heavens and dismay on earth—but here the cosmic shift is expected to bring fulfilment, not destruction. The suffering described in the gospel passage is the kind of distress that accompanies any major natural, social, or personal upheaval. At such times we may be shaken to our foundations; we are dismayed, and even frightened to death. Paul says the Lord will come with his holy ones; Luke says the Son of Man will come in glory and great power. This is the day when the love and providence, the mercy and forgiveness of God will be made manifest. As we enter into this season of expectation, we are also invited to stand before the Son of Man to receive the blessings promised by God.

What is expected of those who receive the promise? An Advent way of life exhorts us to wait in joyful hope for the coming of our Saviour Jesus Christ. However, it is not merely a life of passive anticipation. Rather, it is one of active discipline. Dependent on God, it is rooted in love and blameless in holiness. It is lived in the midst of a community within which God’s promises have already been revealed. The Advent way of life not only anticipates the Day of the Lord’s coming, but it incarnates that coming as well. As we live rooted in love and blameless in holiness, we make present in our lives that Lord who is to come. Thus, we are summoned to live in the tension between the already and the not yet. The Advent way of life is both simple and profound. It does not necessarily require unusual behaviour on our part, but it calls us to live the usual unusually well. It affects the everyday events of life; it directs the way we interact with people; informs the attitudes that colour our judgments and motivations. It is as ordinary as the birth of a child; it is as extraordinary as the revelation of God. Happy Advent Season! +John I. Okoye

(GRAPHICS BY CHUKWUBIKE OC)