1st Advent A 07

One of the changes brought in by the Second Vatican Council was the creation of a three-year cycle for the Mass readings on Sundays.
In this way, we listen to all the most important passages in the Bible at least once in every three years. So on this, the first Sunday of Advent we begin a new liturgical year, year A.

The first reading is from the Book of Isaiah. It points us to a time when the Lord will rule over the nations and adjudicate between peoples. Under his rule, there will not be any wars or hostilities. The weapons of war will become redundant and money will be used for peaceful purposes.

Wouldn’t it be wonderful
if war and terrorist attacks were no longer hanging over our heads?
If young and old could walk anywhere anytime without fear of being mugged or murdered?
If people who say: you could build a school for the price of a jetfighter would have their way and the money spent on armaments now, would be spent on improving the human condition?
If the thousand billion pounds spent on military purposes around the world would be redirected, famine, homelessness, the lack of healthcare and education could be eliminated everywhere without any of us giving up a single penny.

What is required to achieve this is not just a political change at government level but a spiritual change at our own level. You and I need to strive to reach a state of being when we can -honestly say that there is perfect peace within us, in our hearts and in our minds; that we are not in conflict with anything or anybody.

World peace begins at home, it is in your hands and in my hands. We need to find our inner peace. St Paul is very fond of writing long lists of things we should be doing and things we should avoid. What he tells us frequently is to get rid of bad habits and to acquire good ones.

In the gospel, Jesus reminds people of the great Flood. Then no one knew what was coming except Noah and his family.
The coming of Jesus is like that — unexpected. He may be talking about his Second Coming at the end of the world or his coming for any one of us at the end of our lives. Or this Advent he may be taping on our heads or knocking on our hearts, inviting us to do something different, something radically different to bring us closer to himself and closer to one another and closer to ourselves.

Let us do what he asks and be alert and ready by praying, reading, meditating and works of charity.