Fr Alan's Weekly Reflection

The time to act is now

This Sunday is the First Sunday of Advent and marks the beginning of a new Liturgical Year for the Church. The Readings for the first two Sunday’s of Advent will focus on Christ coming again. The readings urge us to prepare for the future by being alert in the present.

We quite often speak during Advent about the two comings of Christ. The first coming was Christ coming among us as fully human. The second coming is Christ who will come again in the future. However, there is a third coming and that is Christ who comes to us each day in the people we meet and the events we encounter. I would like to give an example. Last Monday I was riding on the train from the city back to Malvern. Across the aisle a young couple were sitting together. Soon after an elderly man who was visually impaired came on to the train and sat down close to the young couple and started talking to them. I was watching this as I was interested to see what this young couple would do. I am pleased to say they were more than happy to engage this elderly man in conversation. I thought this is a good example of how Christ, when he lived amongst us, received all people. He too would have welcomed that elderly man and given him time. Kind actions like this young couple showed remind us of his presence.

Therefore, we prepare for Christ’s future by following his example in the present. St Paul urges us to stay awake. We stay awake by being alert to the presence of Christ in the here and now and taking advantage of the opportunities to act like him in our daily lives. This is quite a challenge when we begin to prepare for Christmas and feel we have so much to do before then. It is at times like that we can be tempted to think well I will make resolutions at a time when I feel less stressed. However, the Gospel reminds us that there will come a time where we cannot put things off as our time will have run out. The time to act on resolutions and portray a more Christ-like presence is now. This is the best way to approach the future as hope-filled Christians.

Fr Alan Gibson