The gospel reading from Luke moves us from anticipation of the coming of the messiah to fulfillment of God’s promise. This theme of fulfillment is at the heart of the Christmas message. In the baptism narrative we see that Jesus has come into our midst, not only as a helpless infant, but as our anointed messiah. There is a dimension to this same gospel reading that opens us to a future yet to be fully realized in our lives. The one upon whom the Spirit descends has come to baptize us in that same Spirit. The reading from Titus is similar to the gospel. Both herald the appearance of Jesus and promise a future fulfilment for us. Renewed by the Spirit, we will be justified and become heirs in hope of eternal life. The readings clearly announce that: the Lord is coming; the Lord has come; the Lord will continue to come to and through us into the whole world. Under all of this rings the melody of God’s creative power as seen in the Psalm response. God promises to create something new in the wilderness of chaos. There the glory of the Lord will be revealed.
The incarnation takes place in human history, thus affirming the fundamental goodness of human life and concerns, and sanctifying them even further. The child comes from simple people, from a place that is relatively insignificant, thus underscoring God’s preference for what is ordinary. The body that was offered for our salvation, the body that consecrated us through having been offered up, was the body that grew in the womb of Mary. The extraordinary salvific deed of God was accomplished through his coming into the world as one of us. The obedience that Christ played out through his body fulfilled for us the promises made by God. We stand on the threshold of fulfilment, the fulfilment of an event that has already taken place. We ritually re-enact it so that we never take it for granted, so that we never forget that it is in and through human history that the marvellous deeds of God are accomplished.
Advent is a time for joy, not primarily because we are anticipating the anniversary of the birth of Christ, but because God is already in our midst (Immanuel). The readings for today, Gaudete Sunday, assure us that God is with us, not as a judge but as a Saviour. We rejoice over the saving acts of God that make us confident of God’s care and unafraid of whatever may cross our paths. We rejoice in the peace of God that surpasses all understanding. Advent joy springs from the realisation that the presence of God in our midst can so transform our lives that the promises of peace and security will be fulfilled. Advent joy is the way we live in the tension between already and not yet.
While the advent of God’s coming with its promise of fulfilment show us that God works within everyday life, John the Baptist, on the other hand proclaims the kind of transformation that results in a change of heart. Reversals characterise such transformation: the robe of mourning is replaced by the splendour of glory; tears are turned into rejoicing; those led away by enemies are brought back by God; valleys are filled, mountains are levelled, winding roads are made straight; even nature offers itself as shelter for the people of God. Those who are shamed and discarded are made glorious; those who suffer are comforted; the oppressed are freed; all of life’s obstacles are removed; the way to God is made straight; the natural world enjoys peace and harmony. The transformation or repentance of heart takes place within human life, within relationships of justice between people and with the earth, in right living, in genuine unselfish love. It produces the fruits of righteousness of which Paul speaks. Advent is the time to prepare ourselves for this.
The readings of the First Sunday of Advent set the stages for our reflections on the entire season. They contain a number of promises, all pointing to peace and fulfilment. The promises reveal a loving and provident, a merciful and forgiving God. These are promises full of hope. The coming of the Lord is clearly a time of expectation, not of fear and trembling. Although the earlier tradition about the Day of the Lord included punishment of the wicked, the focus here is on redemption. The time of expectation may be preceded by apocalyptic signs in the heavens and dismay on earth, but this cosmic shift will bring fulfilment, not destruction. The love and providence, the mercy and forgiveness of God will be made manifest. An Advent way of life exhorts us to ‘wait in joyful hope for the coming of our Saviour Jesus Christ’. This way of life is both simple and profound. It does not necessarily require unusual behaviour on our part, but it calls us to live the usual unusually well. It affects the everyday events of life; it directs the way we interact with people; it informs the attitudes that colour our judgments and motivations. It is as ordinary as the birth of a child; it is as extraordinary as the revelation of God.
Enthroned in heaven, Christ is revealed as the faithful witness to all that God has done and will continue to do. As first-born from the dead, his resurrection is the promise of our own resurrection. The dominion that he received from God is universal and exclusive and it will last forever. When he comes again on the last day, he will be revealed in all his glory. Christ’s kingdom is a kingdom of truth and life, of holiness and grace, of justice and love and peace. We need not stand at a distance from him, afraid to approach because of our human vulnerability. He is the one who loved us so much that he handed himself over to suffering and death so that we might live. He has already brought us to birth in this kingdom through Baptism and he has taught us how to live in it. Today we look to that time when his glory will be revealed, when we will all be gathered into the embrace of God, there to sing praise to that glory forever.
In some way, all of today’s readings state that good will finally prevail over evil. In the last days, Michael, the angelic warrior of God, will rise up. In the epistle, Christ is pictured seated triumphantly at the right hand of God with his enemies under his foot, a sign of conquest. Finally, in the gospel, the Son of Man, the mysterious figure from apocalyptic literature, comes in the clouds with great power and glory. All of these images are apocalyptic; each of them is quite hopeful. We read these stories at the close of the liturgical year, because we are coming to the conclusion of our yearly telling of the story of salvation. However, apocalyptic images are timely whenever we find ourselves in the throes of the battle with evil and it appears that we will succumb. These forms will remind us that good will be able to withstand evil. From this we will conclude that we need only trust in God.
Jesus is the ultimate example of heroic generosity. He first offered himself as expiation for our sin. Now, as the eternal high priest, he stands before God as our mediator, pleading on our behalf, bringing salvation to those who eagerly await him. The giving that is pictured in today’s readings is nothing less than heroic generosity. However, God will not be outdone in generosity. Sometimes we become the beneficiaries of obvious blessing, as was the case in the story of the woman of Zarephath who was granted a year’s supply of floor and oil. At other times, we simply continue living life as usual, like the woman in the temple who was unaware of the commendation that Jesus had given her. The truly generous do not look for reward. They carry out their responsibilities and place the rest in God’s hands.
We are called to a covenant relationship with the Lord who is God, the one who is Lord alone. We have been invited into an intimate personal relationship with the creator of the universe who with infinite interest has numbered the very hairs on our head. It is not marvel enough that this mysterious God has created us; we have also been redeemed. As victim-priest Jesus has offered himself on our behalf. He is the sacrifice that sealed the covenant; his blood was the expiation for our sins; he is our rock, our fortress, our deliverer, our shield, our stronghold. Only one thing is asked of us in return: that we open ourselves to him and cling to the covenant, that we proclaim with all our hearts ‘The Lord is our God, the Lord alone!’ We are to love with all our heart and all our soul and all our strength; we are to love God and to love others.