Advent All Year

2nd Sunday of Advent

This Sunday, the second reading will be from Philippians 1:4-6,8-11. Also review the other readings, for greater context.

This second Sunday of Advent, we light the candle of preparation. In Advent, not only do we prepare for Christmas, but also for the Second Coming.

Much like the Jews of the Old Testament, we engage in this preparation with great joy, and with a measure of seriousness.

In our first reading this week, God commands that Israel prepare for the coming of the Messiah. How can we imagine that he wishes us to do less in anticipation of when he comes back?

Advent is not just a time of waiting, it is a time of preparation - of “active waiting” as it were.

Advent is a time to focus on this active waiting in a way that we do not do ordinarily. Time to rejoice completely in God’s providence and mercy. Time to straighten our crooked ways by going to confession and resolving to sin no more, by the help of God’s grace. Time to grow in love, of God and neighbor, time to encourage our love to grow in knowledge and truth, to resolve to be more faithful and more teachable disciples.

It is a time of especially expectant and watchful waiting, so that the coming of our Lord does not take us by surprise.

But what, exactly, is it that keeps us from doing this all the time. We know that he is coming again, and if the only time we spend conscientiously preparing for his return is during Advent, we are liable to get caught unawares. He is, after all, going to come like a thief in the night, when nobody expect him.

So, since we just celebrated the first of the Liturgical year, let us make our resolution now - resolve to live Advent all year long, so that the Lord might find us ready and waiting for him.

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