Veni, Veni Emmanuel!
Captivum solve Israel!
"O come o come Emmanuel!
And ransom captive Israel!"
The first day of Advent is the first day of the new Church year. Advent begins without fanfare on the first of the four Sundays before December 24th. This year we have the uncommon situation in which the fourth Sunday of Advent is on December 24. The morning Masses will be for that Sunday. At 4 PM on December 24 we begin the Christmas Vigil. Unlike the quiet beginning Advent ends with the joyous commemoration of Jesus’ birth, the commemoration of Jesus’ flesh and blood arrival in this world. Advent ends with the commemoration that Jesus, fully God and fully man, was born into and lived on this planet, the same place where we now live and breathe, study and work, celebrate and mourn.
The word Advent Comes from the Latin roots ad and venire which mean “to come to.” But that simple translation does not convey the reality of Advent. Pope Benedict XVI explained that advent is the translation of the Greek word parousia which means presence, but even more specifically means arrival.
Arrival is the beginning of another’s presence, it is not the fullness of that presence. This is why Christmas cannot stand alone as an event unrelated to the rest of salvation history.
Consider a child. The birth of a baby is only the beginning of his or her presence, a presence that will permanently change and shape the family. In truth, and very much like Advent, the presence of a child begins well before birth. The moment a pregnancy is known the world of the family changes.
And that world never returns to what it was before, even if the child is the victim of an abortion.
The presence of another in our lives is never complete, it is always in the process of becoming, reforming, and reshaping. It is always evolving. It is also crucial to recall that the presence of another in our lives does not end even if he or she has died. Even now everyone in this church is being influenced by the presence of others who are distant or dead. Parents. Siblings. Teachers.
Mentors. Friends. And others. Their presence influences how we live our lives. That presence helps determine what we decide and how we act, what we believe and what we reject. Their presence in our lives may soothe and comfort us during times of stress. Conversely it may also be the source of continuing anxiety and pain.
It is impossible not to respond to another’s presence. Even “ignoring” another’s presence is to respond to it in a negative fashion.
Jesus’ presence is an advent presence. Jesus' presence is always a “coming to,” it is always a "coming toward" “a coming to and into.” It is always dynamic.
During advent we recall that Jesus is present in this world and is always becoming newly present to this world. He is present in our lives but also becoming newly present in our lives as much as we allow and oftentimes in response to how and where our lives are moving. Jesus presence is always a becoming, it is always the beginning of His presence. The fullness of Jesus' presence will only be known to us when death moves us from life to eternal life.
Jesus’ presence in our lives is a triple presence. We only have to look, listen, and taste, to experience that triple presence.
Jesus is present in the community of believers when the Church prays as one,
most particularly in the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass.
Jesus is present in the words of the Gospel whether it is proclaimed in the assembly of believers or if it is read in the silence of our room.
And, Jesus is present most tangibly, in his true and substantial presence in the Eucharist, in His real presence in the bread and wine, which will soon be consecrated, broken, and shared.
Advent is not a preparation for a holiday. Advent is preparation for a Holy Day. We are preparing to commemorate the birth of the Messiah, the anointed one. We are scanning the horizon for the star that announces the birth of the Son of God, Son of David, and Son of Mary. We are awaiting the King of Kings and the Prince of Peace, the One who is like us in all things but sin.
As we begin Advent we recall that Jesus came into this world to save it and ransom us from sin and death. Thus, as instructed in today’s Gospel,
we are to remain “watchful and alert.”
Veni, Veni Emmanuel!
Captivum solve Israel!
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After seeing too many ads for "advent calendars" that rewarded the devout with a different type of whiskey each day, it seemed reasonable to give a homily on the meaning of advent, a meaning totally divorced from single malt. Secularization or sacrilege I'm still not sure. Perhaps the two are synonyms.
Today is the Feast (for Jesuits) of Francis Xavier, one of the greatest missionaries in history. As I am back in Pennsylvania for the first time in five years, I will not be home for any of the celebration. Returning on Wednesday AM.
The photos are from Vermont. I could definitely use some snow this winter. While the first three are quite obvious, sheer winter beauty, the last is a shot through the side mirror of the SUV I use when I am up there.
Fr. Jack, SJ, MD
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