Veni, Veni, Emmanuel: Homily for the 1st Sunday of Advent

 

1 December 2024

Jer  33:14-16

1 Thess 3:12-4:2

Luke 21:25-28, 34-36

 

Today begins a new church year with a new cycle of liturgical readings.  The Sunday gospels will come primarily from Luke rather than Mark who is now so last year.  The first Sunday of Advent is a New Year’s Day on which the Church enters into a liturgically subdued mood.

 

Thus, the Gloria is omitted during most Masses.  The green vestments are at the dry cleaner having been replaced by violet.  The general instruction for the Roman missal notes that, “The organ and other musical instruments, as well as the floral decoration of the altar, should be used with a moderation that is consistent with the season’s character and does not anticipate the full joy of the Nativity of the Lord.”   

 

Advent is simpler, quieter,  less distracted and less distracting than the sometimes overwhelming liturgical opulence that marks Christmas.  The time will come to celebrate with all the stops pulled out.  However, advent is a time to reflect on what is coming and who is coming into our lives and the life of the Church. 

 

Benedict XVI explained the meaning of Advent in his short book of meditations titled, Benedictus. He wrote that Advent derives from the Latin roots 'ad'  and 'venire', meaning 'to come to' or 'to come toward.'  He noted that advent is the translation of the Greek word parousia which means 'presence,' but even more specifically means 'arrival.'  During Advent the Church is in a state of spiritual tension as she waits and scans the horizon.  Advent is a time of anticipation and preparation for the arrival of the Savior of the World, the King of the Universe, Jesus, Son of God and Son of Mary, the One who is coming toward us even at this moment.  That is why we are instructed to keep things simple and to minimize distraction, the better to focus our gaze.  During these weeks the Church rereads  the story of the promise to all people.  She meditates.   And she waits. Today’s  readings are clues to our yearning for that which is approaching and how we are to wait.

 

Jeremiah described the waiting and yearning for the Messiah that pervades the Old Testament.  The few verses proclaimed come from the middle of a prophecy of Jeremiah in which he reveals that God  will restore a desolate land and a struggling people, a people without pasture, flocks, or respect.  At that time Judah will be saved and Jerusalem will dwell in safety. 

 

The reading from Paul’s Letter to the Thessalonians is even shorter than Jeremiah.  Paul is exhorting the Church in Thessalonica on how they are to live.  Over the next twenty or so verses Paul instructs his readers to avoid fornication,  not to exploit others,  to work,  and to treat outsiders with respect.  He then adds the necessity of the virtues of purity,  charity,  industry,  and courtesy.  These would be reasonable New Year’s resolutions for all of us  though they are probably harder to keep than the standard ones to quit smoking, lose weight, or get in shape.  The moving toward of advent is also apparent in Jesus’ words to his disciples in Luke’s gospel.

 

Just as Paul advises the Thessalonians Jesus tells us that in preparation for that day we should not weigh down our hearts in drunkenness which makes it difficult to pay attention to anything. We should  not become so distracted by the demands of life that we fail to pray, fail to listen to the words of Jesus proclaimed at Mass, or read His words in the quiet of our homes. 

 

The reading from Luke’s Gospel today is not comforting. The apocalyptic vision of the Son of Man coming on a cloud is frightening.  What we are waiting for and the One for whom we are waiting is beginning His approach.  But the waiting is a sobering and disquieting experience. We watch.  We wait.  The words of the ancient Advent hymn Veni Veni Emmanuel describe the life of our Church and the attributes of the one for whom we wait. That hymn that will come to particular prominence with the ‘O Antiphons’ that begin on December 17 until December 23.  And so we pray:

 

O Come Emmanuel. 

Ransom captives. 

Ease our mourning. 

Show us the path of knowledge. 

Teach us the way to go. 

Disperse the clouds of night. 

Put death’s shadow to flight. 

 

We wait in and anxious and joyful anticipation.  Our joy is not complete.  But it will be soon.  

 

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The photos are fresh out of the camera from shooting this afternoon in the Jesuit Chapel in St. Mary's Hall.  I have the only Mass there tomorrow and will bless the Advent wreathe during the Mass.   

 Fr Jack, SJ, MD