22-Nov-2009
Dear Friend,
In the recent past we have had weather experts warning us of floods, Sunamis,
earthquakes and natural disasters in different parts of the world. In some
countries there have been warnings of terrorist bombings and a call to be on
high alert, to be prepared for any eventuality. When these warnings are issued
we do not just take them lightly but are on our guard. We want to be ready and
prepared. Should anything happen, are we prepared to face the end? Are we
prepared to meet our God? Have a hope-filled weekend preparing for God’s
coming! Fr. Jude
Sunday Reflections: First Sunday of Advent ‘Watch and pray while you wait for
Him! 29-Nov-2009
Readings: Jeremiah 33: 14-16; 1 Thessalonians 3: 12-4:2;
Luke 21: 25-36;
Today’s first reading speaks of the time when God will fulfil his promises and
raise up a ‘virtuous branch’ a ‘faithful remnant’ that will do what is right
for the land. Jeremiah utters these words when he is in prison and Jerusalem is
under attack. He prophesies that the day of justice is coming for the chosen
people, who will be saved because of their fidelity; humility and integrity.
The reading alerts us to the fact that throughout history there have always
been disasters, both man-made and natural, yet hope remains because of God’s
promise. We are not to wait in fear but always be prepared for his coming.
Arranging Deck Chairs?
On the night of April 15, 1912, the Titanic hit an iceberg in the North
Atlantic and sank. Over 1,500 people lost their lives in one of the worst sea
disasters in history. A few years ago a magazine recalled the great disaster
and asked its readers this shocking – almost blasphemous – question: “If we’d
been on the Titanic when it sank, would we have rearranged the deck chairs?” At
first we say to ourselves, “What a ridiculous question! No one in his right
mind would ignore wailing sirens on a sinking ship and rearrange its deck
chairs! “No one with an ounce of sanity would ignore the shouts of drowning
people and keep rearranging deck chairs!” But as we continue to read the
magazine, we see the reason for the strange question. And suddenly we ask
ourselves, “Are we, perhaps, rearranging deck chairs on a sinking ship? “For
example, are we so caught up with material things in life that we are giving a
backseat to spiritual things?
“Are we so busy making a living that we are forgetting the purpose of life?
“Are we so taken up with life’s attractions that we are forgetting why God gave
us life?”
Mark Link in ‘Sunday Liturgies’
Today’s gospel is part of the teachings of Jesus on the end of time. It is a
warning about the judgement of God and it uses apocalyptic images from Old
Testament books like Ezekiel and Daniel to describe in dramatic terms the end
of the world. ‘There will be signs in the sun and the moon and stars; on earth
the nations in agony, men dying of fear as they await what menaces the world.’
These images were further developed in the New Testament book of Revelation.
The symbols are expressed in imaginative, colourful, hyperbolic stories and
dramatic warnings. ‘That day will spring on you suddenly, like a trap. Stay
awake praying all the time for the strength to survive all that is going to
happen.’ Jesus warns his listeners to take stock of their lives and prepare for
whatever is to come. He says that the disasters will confront everyone on the
earth and our response should be to ‘stand erect and hold your heads high
because your redemption is near
at hand.’ The challenge for everyone is to review now our lives while we yet
have time so that we are not taken by surprise and fear when the day of the
Lord arrives. Are we prepared? What are we doing to prepare ourselves? As
winter approaches in the northern hemisphere the earth seems to be dying.
Advent begins at this time and the readings provide us with hope and a way for
us to reflect on the word of God. What is our response to some of the things
that confront us today? Are we paralysed with fear? Are we opting out or living
in faith and hope? Do we believe that God is in charge still and will not let
us down? What are some of the ways we can prepare to greet the Lord peacefully
with a good conscience? ‘Come Lord Jesus come!’
The Time Is Now!
A modern lesson in preparing for Jesus’ coming is the story of a junior
executive who approached his grouchy boss to tell him how deeply he admired his
creative genius. The boss was very surprised, and also deeply impressed. That
night the boss came home to his 14-year-old son and sat him down. He said, “The
most incredible thing happened to me today,” and told him the story. Then he
continued, “As I was coming home tonight, I thought about you. When I come home
I don’t pay a lot of attention to you. Sometimes I scream at you for not
getting good enough grades in school and for your bedroom being a mess. But
somehow tonight I just wanted to sit here and, well, just let you know that,
besides your mother, you’re the most important person in my life. You’re a
great kid and I love you!” The startled boy started to sob and sob, and he
couldn’t stop crying. His whole body shook. At last, he looked up at his father
and said through his tears.
“I was planning on running away tomorrow, Dad, because I didn’t think you
loved me. Now I don’t need to.” Perhaps the idea may be summed up in an unknown
author’s poem entitled The Time Is Now:
“If you are ever going to love me,
Love me now, while I can know
The sweet and tender feelings
Which from true affection flow.
Love me now
While I am living.
Do not wait until I’m gone
And then have it chiseled in marble,
Sweet words on ice-cold stone.
If you have tender thoughts of me,
Please tell me now.
If you wait until I am sleeping,
Never to awaken,
There will be death between us,
And I won’t hear you then.
So, if you love me, even a little bit,
Let me know it while I am living
So I can treasure it.”
Albert Cylwicki in ‘His Word Resounds’
“Walking on the beach, one sometimes finds sea-shells gnarled and wrinkled by
salt, sand and tide. Turning them over, one discovers the smoothest
mother-of-pearl, a surface shimmering and beautiful. We can take this as an
image of the Church and the saints. Pummeled and polished by the tide of time,
by the storms of life, the Church waits for the rising tide of God’s
timelessness which will engulf all, before casting up on the shore of eternity
miracles of patience and fortitude which remains hidden today. The first
Christian community experienced the tension between the two—coming of the Lord,
his earthy ministry and his return at the end of them. Believing this Parousia
of the Son of Man imminent, they believed also in the necessity of living
blameless lives. But the Christians for whom Luke is writing are already aware
of another dimension. For them, the Lord’s coming is not for some unknown time
in the future: he is already here in the now of
salvation history. At any instant he may suddenly pass judgement on the inner
meaning which we give to our human existence. The essential attitude,
therefore, for the faithful is one of unfailing watchfulness: standing ready,
rejecting the evil actions of darkness, staying alert thanks to constant
prayer. As the Eucharist proclaims the death of the Lord ‘until he comes’ (1
Cor 11:26), so to watch and to pray is to hasten the coming of God’s kingdom.
We already stand erect holding our heads high, as our watching and our prayer
identify the one for whom mankind is waiting. We wait for that day when the
tide of God’s Advent will carry us finally to meet the Son of Man, face to
face!”-Glenstal Bible Missal
How Much Time Is Left?
In the Royal Air Force Museum in Hendon, England there is an exhibition of the
memorabilia of Lord Dowding. He was appointed Commander in Chief of the RAF in
1936 to take on the challenge of expanding the RAF’s fighting force to meet the
Nazi threat. Dowding has less than four years to prepare the RAF for the epic
Battle of Britain, while at the same time helping France as much as possible.
Lord Dowding’s accomplishments in getting the RAF ready are summed up on a
plaque: ‘It has been given to few men so to employ so short a time that by
their efforts they saved civilization.” Lord Dowding’s vigilance and
preparation while waiting for the Nazi attempt to invade Great Britain played a
key role in England’s victory in the early 1940’s. Vigilance and preparation
while waiting are part of the theme of today’s Advent gospel. When Lord Dowding
was preparing the RAF for the war, he didn’t know how much time he had. We too
don’t know how much
time we have left to live – four years or forty years; four months or four
hours. That doesn’t matter. May we be on guard and watching whenever the Lord
comes.
Albert Cylwicki in ‘His Word Resounds’
Prayer
Let’s close with a prayer by an unknown author from the Red Cloud Indian School
of Pine Ridge, South Dakota. It puts into prayer some of the thoughts that are
related to the theme of today’s liturgy: watch and pray.
“O Great Spirit, whose voice I hear in the winds, and whose breath gives life
to all the world, hear me! I am small and weak. I need your strength and wisdom.
“Let me walk in beauty, and make my eyes ever behold the red and purple sunset.
“Make my hands respect the things you have made and my ears sharp to hear your
voice.
“Make me wise to so that I may understand the things you have taught my people.
“Let me learn the lessons you have hidden in every leaf and rock.
“I seek strength, not to be greater than my brother, but to fight my greatest
enemy – myself.
“Make me always ready to come to you with clean hands and straight eyes.
“So when life fades, as the fading sunset, my spirit may come to you without
shame.
“Amen.”
May we live each day always ready and prepared for His coming!
Fr. Jude Botelho
judebote...@yahoo.co.in
PS. The stories, incidents and anecdotes used in the reflections have been
collected over the years from books as well as from sources over the net and
from e-mails received. Every effort is made to acknowledge authors whenever
possible. If you send in stories or illustrations I would be grateful if you
could quote the source as well so that they can be acknowledged if used in
these reflections. These reflections are also available on my remodelled web
site www.netforlife.net Thank you.
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