The Gospel for this First Sunday of Advent is Luke 21:25–28.34–36
1. Joyful expectation
Advent – a time of joyful expectation. The Gospel of the first Sunday of Advent tells us about the waiting for the Son of Man. And Advent itself is precisely a time of joyful waiting for Christmas. In this climate, Jesus gives five practical pieces of advice.
2. Key Words
Take heart
Advent is a time to take care of your life and spiritual health, which is why you need retreats – including online retreats, days of recollection, and other ways to get to your heart.
Lift up your heads
In other words: Be courageous, do not be afraid! Look with courage and optimism at your life and your future, and at the same time, lift your heads above what you are doing, see more, expand your horizons.
Beware that your hearts do not become drowsy
Jesus does not say to look out for others, but to keep watch over oneself, which means starting with oneself. So that as Jesus warns in today’s Gospel: “that your hearts do not become drowsy from carousing and drunkenness and the anxieties of daily life and that day catch you by surprise like a trap” (Luke 21:34–35).
Be vigilant
Being vigilant means keeping our eyes and ears open to what is happening around us. It consists in recognizing the signs of the times that God gives us each day, and also seeing how He cares for us. Being vigilant means being sensitive to the signs of God in our lives.
Pray at all times
God Himself—Jesus Christ—found time for prayer. Prayer is like the air we breathe. Saint John Paul II said that time spent in prayer is never time lost. Prayer is a conversation with a Friend. It can be said that “pray at all times” means not only when we are in church, but on various occasions, for example, on our way to work, when walking, etc. You can turn to the Lord God on any occasion.
3. Today
Advent is a time for making resolutions. The spiritual fathers say that this does not mean making many resolutions that, later, are not put into practice, but making a specific one that can be carried out.
Now, it is best if this resolution is related to the most important commandment, what is most important in life, that is, the commandment to love God and your neighbor as yourself.
Do I already have my concrete resolution for Advent?
And today we celebrate...