Abound in Love

December 2, 2012

First Sunday of Advent B 2012

By Rev. Joe McCloskey, SJ

In those days, in that time, I will raise up for David a just shoot; he shall do what is right and just in the land.  In those days Judah shall be safe and Jerusalem shall dwell secure; this is what they shall call her: "The LORD our justice."  Jeremiah 33:15-16

May the Lord make you increase and abound in love for one another and for all, just as we have for you, so as to strengthen your hearts, to be blameless in holiness before our God and Father at the coming of our Lord Jesus with all his holy ones. Amen.  1 Thessalonians 3:12-13

"Beware that your hearts do not become drowsy from carousing and drunkenness and the anxieties of daily life, and that day catch you by surprise like a trap.  For that day will assault everyone who lives on the face of the earth.  Be vigilant at all times and pray that you have the strength to escape the tribulations that are imminent and to stand before the Son of Man."  Luke 21:34-36

Piety

Our Gospel of today answers the question of “Why be good?” Terrifying signs to come will warn of the end of the world.   Signs of old age do the same for those who have a reason to fear a divine judgment.  Our piety lessens, and even removes, the fear of the Last Judgment.  There is a forever to love.  God rewards the good of our lives with the dawning realization that our love is forever.   Terrible signs will be an awakening to redemption being at hand.  We will see the son of man coming in all his glory and will be excited by our love coming to its full realization.  We will see the wisdom of the good decisions of our life that are present in the Lord’s beckoning us to join with him with all that we are.  Decisions that were difficult to make will be obvious in the glory of the Lord that touches the moment with the promise of being with the Lord forever.   We will discover our piety as the God-sense of a good life.

Study

We will no longer be drowsy in the excitement of life with the Lord.  The power and the glory of God will overtake us.  We will no longer struggle to do the right thing.  His coming will make good choices obvious.  Every time that we look at the life of a Saint who embodied Christ in their time, we have our hearts opened by the very consolation in the attraction to do the right thing in the name of Christ.   With eyes wide-open to what our work costs us, we will rejoice in the sacrifices we make in the name of the Lord.

Action

Because we are not among the people who will die of fright at the signs of the end times, we will be able to work with joy in our hearts to make the coming of the Christ Child special in our hearts.  Our example will admonish the idle, cheer up the fainthearted, support the weak and make it possible for us to be patient with all.  We work at putting Christ in all we do.  We have the best of reasons to make Christ the be all and the end all of our lives.  We prepare for Christmas in the realization that what we put into the simplicity of our celebration of his birthday is but the first step to welcome him in his glorious coming at the end of time.