1st Sunday of Advent, Year B: Homily by Fr Isaac Chima

Theme: Only God’s abiding presence will restore our glory.

Reading: Is 63:16d-17;64:1.3b-8; 1 Cor 1:3–8; Mk 13:33–37

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, today, we have entered a new season of the Church’s liturgical Calendar (the season of Advent) and a New Year of the church (Year B). The season of Advent is a time of preparation that directs the minds and hearts of Christians to the second coming of Christ at the end of time while at the same time inviting them to joyously commemorate the anniversary of His birth in history in the small village of Bethlehem on Christmas. In fact, Advent is a season that invites us to meditate on Jesus’ first coming in history as a baby in Bethlehem, his daily coming into our lives in mystery through the Sacraments, through the Bible, and through the worshipping community, and his Second Coming at the end of the world to judge the living and the dead.

In line with the spirit of advent, the background to the first reading of today has a beautiful lesson for us. In this passage, the prophet Isaiah prayed for the people of Israel that have returned from the Babylonian exile. The exile in Babylon was a thing of great sorrow for the people of Israel, because it snatched from them all the things that made them a nation: their king, their land and their temple — the Babylonians killed their king, took them away from their lands, and destroyed their temple. When they were returning from exile, they had high hopes of rebuilding their ruined cities and regaining their lost glories, they were also confident that God will stand by their side to assist them. However, the sight of their ruined cites left them devastated and, at some point, they started losing their initial enthusiasm, they became discouraged by the weight of the task before them, and many of them no longer knew how to go about rebuilding their lives and cities in order to reclaim their lost glories. Their depression made them to start feeling the absence of God in their lives.

In that situation of agony, despair and depression, the prophet Isaiah went on his knees and prayed to God as we read in today’s passage, calling upon God to tear the heaven and come down and dwell with his people. He told God that it is only his constant presence among his people that will change their situation of despair, fill them with enthusiasm and hope, strengthen them to build a new future, restore their glory and bring back their joy.

This same message is addressed to all those who are passing through some life difficulties, those who have fallen into despair because of the challenges in the socioeconomic world, those who feel discouraged in life because of crisis in their families, relationships and health, and those who have lost their joy and peace. The prophet Isaiah is assuring those who are suffering from discouragement, despair and depression that the abiding presence of God in their lives will fill them with hope, change their sorrows, and show them a way forward in restoring their lost glories.

The time of advent is a special time to prepare our hearts and lives for a special visit from God, and for the abiding presence of God. According to the gospel reading of today, this is a time to stay awake and vigilant while preparing, for we do not know the hour God is coming to restore our joy, the hour he is coming to call us to himself, and the hour he is coming to reward the good and punish the bad.

Since we have been promised by St Paul in the second reading of today that we are not lacking in any spiritual gift as we wait for the revealing or coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, the best way to prepare and to stay awake to encounter Jesus is by doing good works: by offering our daily works to God for the glory of his name, by practicing more self-control in resisting temptations and evil habits, by seeking reconciliation daily with God and man, by asking for God’s forgiveness and extending the same forgiveness unconditionally to fellow human beings, by practicing works of charity and by rebuilding our spiritual life through daily prayers and Masses. By doing these good works, our hearts will be opened and be worthy to receive the constant and abiding presence of God, and His presence will strengthen us, renew our hopes and enthusiasm, show us new directions in life and restore our lost glories.

Peace be with you

Fr Isaac Chinemerem Chima