Jesus said to
his disciples: “As it was in the days of Noah, so it will be at the coming of
the Son of Man. In those days before the flood, they were eating and drinking,
marrying and giving in marriage, up to the day that Noah entered the ark. They
did not know until the flood came and carried them all away. So will it be also
at the coming of the Son of Man. Two men will be out in the field; one will be
taken, and one will be left. Two women will be grinding at the mill; one will
be taken, and one will be left. Therefore, stay awake! For you do not know on
which day your Lord will come. Be sure of this: if the master of the house had
known the hour of night when the thief was coming, he would have stayed awake
and not let his house be broken into. So too, you also must be prepared, for at
an hour you do not expect, the Son of Man will come.
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Reflection:
What would you do if there is an occasion in your house and you are
expecting visitors? What you do is you thoroughly clean your house for it to be
worthy in the eyes of your coming visitors.
The first Sunday of Advent ushers a new year in the in the church’s
Liturgical calendar. Advent means Coming and this is the time wherein we
prepare for the Birth of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
The gospel talks about the preparation for the Lord’s coming. On the
first part of the Gospel the people during Noah’s time failed to prepare. They
were so busy with sin and other worldly things until God’s judgment came and
they were wiped out on the face of the earth. (Genesis 7:22) Only Noah and his
companions survived because they were the select few who were prepared.
The Lord calls us to “Stay awake” to be prepared so that if the Son of
Man will come we are ready. How are we preparing for the coming birth of Jesus?
Is it centered towards materials things such as buying of gifts, decorating of
the house and the like?
Nothing is wrong with these kinds of preparation. However, The Lord wants
us also to undergo a much deeper and meaningful preparation for his forthcoming
birth. And what is this? It is a preparation centered within ourselves.
Such as repentance from our many sins thus we worthily prepare ourselves
for the coming of our Lord and Savior. Repentance from our many sins means that
we allow the Sacrament of Confession to clean us from the dirt of sin.
When was your last Confession? – Marino J. Dasmarinas
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