28/11/2010 - 1ST. SUNDAY IN ADVENT SEASON - A
1st Reading Is 2,1-5 Psalm 121 2nd Reading Rom 13,11-14 Gospel Mt 24,37-44
The Sacraments of faith are external signs, signs that become a public manifestation,
expressed in a way that are heard and seen outwardly. These signs were not created
by human beings: Jesus himself expressed himself using touch, took someone by hand,
placed his finger on someone's eyes or using saliva, raised his voice, and he himself
had commanded his apostoles: "Go, therefore, and make disciples from all the
peoples, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy
Spirit, teaching them to obey all that I have comanded you" (Mt 28,19-20).
It is the will of the Lord that one becomes his disciple through baptism. Jesus
ordered that Saul be baptised, and all the apostles all those who got baptised introduced
to the heart of Jesus, the only and true savior of humanity. Why Jesus holds necessary
the external sign of baptism? Why is it not enough that one adhers to the heart
of Jesus, something hidden within man? If man is happy of what happens in his heart,
cannot really experience the beauty and the fulness of life that grows when shared
with other believers.If we cannot live in communion with others, sharing our deep
richnesses, we deprive ourselves from what our heart need most. Many frustrations
make people, who cannot share their faith and the treasure of their heart with others,
suffer. Many suffer from aloneness, even in the midst of happy gatherings or celebrations.
Why? Simply because the ones involved don't find the capacity or the ability or
even the humiltiy to share their deep thoughts, feelings, believes. Baptism is necessary
for those who accept Jesus: it is the external manifestation of one's faith, which
is accepted and welcomed by the community of believers. Most of the christians often
think of baptism as simply a celebration for infants: they are baptised some time
after birth, but can become aware of it only after years. Me too, went through this.
Im happy to have been baptised few days after my birth because by that I have been
using the grace of the prayer of the whole Church. This was so because my parents
knew what they were doing and have remain faithful to their commitment o pass ont
he faith to me and make me know the person of Jesus risen and alive.
"I rejoiced when I heard them saying: let us go to God's house!" The beginning
of the Psalm expresses and sintesize the attitudes that today's readings want to
create in us as we start again to celebrate the events of our salvation. The Liturgical
Year wants to put us in the love of God who lives for ever: it is the way we live
in time to come out of time, the way by which our lives are saved from the sadness
of time that passes and never returns back to us. Let us start, therefore, with
joy. The joy that comes out from the assurance that we will reach the Temple where
the God of Jacob lives, the God who loves the oppressed and walks with them. "All
nations" look for the way to enter into the presence of the God whose law is
precious: men left alone to himself won't find it, won't be able to follow it. They
need to come to Jerusalem to listen to the Word of the Lord, and from this Word
receive the indications as how to go for peace. Which people breaks spades to make
them plows? Which people turns war industry into an industry to feed those who suffer
hunger? Without the Word of God no one can dream to ever do it. If we want to see
peace among peoples, we need to take up the ways that lead to Jerusalem. These are
the ways on which we are guided by that Word of God sent into the darkness of the
world like the night, sot that it can shine as the light of the day. "The day
is near", says the apostle. It is the day in which we prepare ourselves by
putting on us "the Lord Jesus". Let us start again the year committed
to put on the Lord Jesus Christ! He came and he will come. He came but we havent
cared very much, we have let him go without allowing him to change our lives. He
came but we behaved like the people in Noah's time. We remained changeless. We are
not yet aware that without his Word, the world is in ruins! He comes again and is
offerring us the time to accept him, as Noah accepted the word of his salvation.
Let us await his coming, in it very various ways, like a child, like a master, like
a suffering messiah. Let us be ready to move ahead in his footsteps, to be carried
away by his coming, and dont remain slaves of the saddness of this world. Let us
wait for him so that finally we can say with decision: Here I am, speak. I love
you, I want to obey you, because only you can save me".