Hopeful Longing and Joyful Hope of His Coming

12-01-2024Weekly ReflectionFr. Bing Colasito

What is the true spirit of the Advent season? Answer: Humility and gratitude before God. If only we can humbly accept our sinfulness and gratefully believe in His mercy and love, our ADVENT has come.

The ultimate goal of every Christian is to be one day with Jesus, the source and giver of eternal life. He is the incarnation of the love of God comes into flesh: I came so that they might have life and have it more abundantly. (Jn. 10:10)Advent season is that renewed preparation and desire to meet Jesus worthily when He comes. The Collect (Opening prayer) this Sunday captures this desire: Grant your faithful, we pray, Almighty God, the resolve to run forth to meet your Christ with righteous deeds and HIS coming, so that gather at His right hand, they may be worthy to possess the heavenly Kingdom.

Are we ready to meet and welcome Jesus into our life? The prophet Jeremiah announces the plan of God to raise a just shoot from the line of King David, who gives security to the house of Israel. The first coming of Jesus fulfills this prophecy; He is the just shoot who brings salvation and security not only to the house of Israel but to the whole world. At the same time, His death on the cross is the once and for all sacrifice for our salvation. In a sense, it is the highest blessing and grace for creation. Jesus fulfills the atoning mission of the suffering servant, who will make many righteous and bear their iniquities. ((CCC 623)

The general message of Sacred Scriptures is not to prepare for the end time by being overwhelmed with fear. The Lord invites us to welcome the coming of the Son of Man full of Joy because our redemption is at hand. To accomplish this, in the 2nd reading, St. Paul invites the Thessalonians to improve the spiritual condition of their lives. They can achieve this if they let their love for one another and others grow joyfully and fervently. To have a strong heart, blameless in holiness before God the Father and the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.

The incarnation of the Son of God, Jesus Christ, fulfills the prophecy of salvation. As St. Paul says: Everyone who calls on our Lord Jesus Christ will be saved (Rom. 10:13).For this reason, Advent season is that beautiful season for hopeful longing, preparing for the coming of our Lord with hearts full of joyful hope.

Some people think that the coming of the Lord on the first Christmas is a thing of the past. In truth, it is not like any delightful story or another children's story. The advent of the Son of God is the beginning of The Greatest Story ever told: The birth, the life, the death, and the glorious resurrection of the begotten son of God. The advent season gives us the time to reminisce about the first Christmas be ready for His coming to us every day and anticipate His return in glory on the final day.

May this Advent season be a time to prepare, to be vigilant in goodness, to be transformed, and to be hopeful in longing and joyful in hope.