Happy New Year!, liturgically speaking…
We have passed from Year A to Year B now.
While the previous liturgical year ended with the
week of Christ the King Sunday (34th Sunday in Ordinary Time), the
new liturgical year begins on the First Sunday of Advent. Toward an end of the
previous liturgical year, we prepared ourselves for the coming of Christ the
King, as the wise virgins who did not let their lamp oil run out, as good and
faithful servants who increased the value of their master’s talents, and as
those who are sorted to Christ’s right side as his sheep for the fruitfulness
of their work of love, as reflected in the Gospel readings for the last three
Sundays of Year A (Matthew 25:1-13;14-30; 31-46). Now, as we begin a new
liturgical year, Year B, in anamnesis, we now commence our preparation to
welcome the first coming of the Messiah, who had been prophesized, at least as
early as the time of Prophet Isaiah (i.e. Isaiah 7:14), and implied way back
when Adam and Eve were evicted from Eden (Genesis 3:15). The Messiah was also
recognized as the Davidic King (Isaiah 11) and the Shepherd (Jeremiah 23:1-7;
Ezekiel 34 - vv.11-12,15-17 read for the
First Reading on Christ the King Sunday, A; Zechariah 11:15), by prophets.
Unbeknownst to the world, this Messiah, who is also the King and the Shepherd,
came to the world from heaven through the pregnancy of the virgin, who was
conceived immaculately in her mother’s womb by the special grace of God,
through the power of the Holy Spirit, incarnating the Logos-Theos in the human
flesh of Jesus, so that he can dwell among us as Immanuel, which means “God
with us”.
So, a liturgical year bean with our Advent
preparation for the coming of Christ as the Lamb of God to take away the sins
of us (John 1:29) and as the Living Bread of Life (John 6:51), and ends with
our preparation for the returning of Christ as the King , as well as the Judge
and the Bridegroom. In order for us to prepare well for the return of Christ
toward an end of this liturgical year, first and foremost, we must prepare for
the first coming of Christ well in memory, as it actually took place about
2,000 years ago in Bethlehem.
As the first Advent candle represents, hope is a
general theme for the First Sunday of Advent to start our preparation for the
first coming of Christ. And the Gospel Reading (Mark 13:33-37), which is
actually the same theme to prepare for the return of Christ, as it is taken
from Jesus’ Olivet Discourse, reminds us to prepare for his coming with
sustained vigilance. Thus, we begin our new liturgical year and preparation to
celebrate the adventus of Christ to
the world through the Immaculate body of Mary with our fervent hope and
sustained vigilance.
In Isaiah’s prophecy for the post-exilic restoration
of the Temple and the City of Jerusalem, God had already implied the very
restoration of Eden, which was lost by the fall of Adam and Eve, as the First
Reading (Isaiah 63:1-17, 19b; 64:2-7) reminds us.
“While you
worked awesome deeds we could not hope for, such as had not been heard of from
old. No ear has ever heard, no eyes ever seen, any God but you working such
deeds for those who wait for him. Would that you might meet us doing right,
that we might be mindful of you in our ways!” (Isaiah 64:2-4)
The above excerpt tells that Father in heaven has
worked hard to restore what has been lost by the fall of Adam and Eve – what
countless repetitions of sins committed by our ancestors in faith history have
kept it from taking place. And it is the ultimate salvific and soteriological
work, which had started by God, as far back as the time of the eviction of Adam
and Eve from Eden, as implied in Genesis 3:15.
As a result of this hard work of Him, the Father is sending His only
begotten Son to us. And, now he is on his way, though we still cannot see in
the eyes of the world but can see in the eyes of faith, and it is hope that we
have (i.e. Romans 8:24). And in Isaiah
64:4b-7, we are reminded of our ancestors’ sins and how they had turned God’s
face away from us, thus, making it delayed the sending of the Son to start his
salvific and soteriological mission. Yes, Advent is also a season of penance,
as it is part of our Advent preparation. This is why the liturgical color of
Advent Season is purple – except for the 3rd Sunday of Advent
(Gaudete Sunday) and for Simbang Gabi novena Masses.
Echoing this First Reading to reflect the part that
God the Father plays for us, the Gospel Reading (Mark 13:33-37) reminds us of
our part of preparation. And, it is characterized with the virtue of vigilance.
And, it is because of our hope, which enables us to see what has not been seen
yet. Yes, hope gives eyes of faith, as hope and faith are related to bring love
(i.e. 1 Corinthians 13:13). Therefore, hope enables us to stay vigilant until
the arrival of Christ throughout the time that we have not yet seen him.
So it is still dark. But, through the eyes of our
faith, we can recognize his sure coming even though our naked eyes have not
seen him yet.
Perhaps, we can see the first day of a liturgical
year, the First Sunday of Advent like starting a journey while it is dark
during the predawn hours. As we will continue on the journey toward the
Kingdom, we will meet him as he comes for the first time on the day of his
Nativity (Christmas) and will meet him again on the day of his Resurrection
(Paschal Sunday) and once again on the day of his return as the King of the
Universe (Parousia). When we meet Christ at his Nativity, it will be time of
sunrise. But, when we will stand at the foot of his Cross and witness him die
for us, it will be time of sunset. But, sunrise again when he will resurrect on
the third day. And when the Holy Spirit,
who is another Parakletos (John
14:16), comes in place of the Christ, the parakletos
in the human flesh (1 John 2:1), after his Ascension, the sun will continue to
stay until his return as the King and to usher us into his completed Kingdom,
where there is no need for sun as it is the Kingdom of eternal light
(Revelation 21:3).
It is still dark because Christ the light (John 8:12)
is still inside the womb of Mary the Immaculate Virgin. But, he is preparing to
come out of the womb to make his appearance – the very first theophany at his
Nativity. And, it was the shepherd who kept their vigilant eyes to watch over
their sheep to witness this first theophany of Christ at his Nativity, being
placed in manger (Luke 2:8-20).
So, vigilance! Hopeful vigilance to make sure to
meet Christ at his Nativity, as the vigilant shepherds did in Bethlehem did
nearly 2,000 years ago.
Because the Gospel text (Mark 13:33-37) is take from
the Markan version of Jesus’ Olivet Discourse (Mark 13), it is actually
addressed for the Parousia. So, it calls us to remain vigilant, like a
gate keeper or a house guard during the night, because the second coming of Christ
the king can be as unpredictable as the master of the house returning at an unannounced
hour in the night. This Markan Gospel text corresponds to the Gospel reading
for the 32nd Sunday of Liturgical Year A, the Parable of the Ten
Virgins (Matthew 25:1-13) and its principle of vigilance is implied in the
shepherds who witnessed Christ at his first coming (Luke 2:8-20).
Now, the Second Reading (1 Corinthians 1:3-9)
gratefully reflects the benefits of witnessing and making testimonies to Christ
while preparing for his return, as envisioned in the Book of Revelation. In
order to be enriched with the grace of God through him, lacking nothing, we
must encounter Christ. But, as his return is so, even his first coming is so
unpredictable, as the Gospel reading reminds. Therefore, we must be alert and
vigilant all the time to make sure we will not sleep over when he comes.
So, as we begin our journey to meet Christ at his
Nativity, at his Resurrection, and at his Return throughout this liturgical
year, let us first repent our sins to remove obstacles to our hope and
vigilance, so that we can ascertain our encounter with Christ when he comes, no
matter what hour it may be and make our witness to him. And we will be enriched
with the grace, lacking nothing, as we are in him.
Happy New Year and Happy Journey of Faith! to meet Christ the King, the light, the
Living Bread of Life, the Good Shepherd, the Lamb, although it is still
dark. Our vigilant hope shall let us see
the path.
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