COMMENT ON THE LITURGY OF THE FIRST SUNDAY OF ADVENT
Collect
Almighty God, give us grace that we may cast away the works of darkness, and put upon us the armour of light, now in the time of this mortal life, in which thy Son Jesus Christ came to visit us in great humility; that in the last day, when he shall come again in his glorious majesty to judge both the quick and [the]* dead, we may rise to the life immortal, through him who liveth and reigneth with thee and the Holy Ghost, now and ever. Amen.
Readings
Rm 13:8-14; Mt 21:1-11
Comment
"The hour has already come for you to wake up from your slumber" exhorts the apostle Paul. Advent time is the liturgical moment that calls us to a profound spiritual awakening. Because waiting for the Savior, and the incarnation of the Word represents a fundamental watershed in the history of humanity: Christ is the rising sun, in the darkness that envelops the world and our lives.
Our awakening must be characterized by a radical change of clothes: stripped of the works of darkness, we must put on the weapons of light, which means that we are called to engage in battle against all that is contrary to the commandment of love; this, as Paul recalls - on the basis of Jesus' preaching - sums up the entire Decalogue. He who loves does not harm the honor, life, reputation, or property of others, nor does he show envy of what God has given to others.
The Apostle invites us to walk honestly as by day. The day here is the symbol of good works, inspired and guided by the Spirit; while the night is a place of hiding, in which evil is done.
The model to follow is the conduct of Christ, as exemplified by the gospel: "clothe yourselves with the Lord Jesus Christ".
To dispel the darkness of sin in a definitive way will be the very light of the Lord, which he gives us in measure of our faith. The believer's perspective is not the unknown or even the dread of Judgment; but the definitive disappearance of suffering, death, and despair.
However, let us not expect a coming of Christ into our lives expressed in a spectacular way: he was born in a humble place and presents his kingship on the back of a mule. This shows that the light of grace radiates and acts where we are, and with the tools we have, in our daily lives: "See, your king comes to you, gentle and riding on a donkey" (Mt 21:5).
- Rev. Dr. Luca Vona
