Sunday, 30 November 2025 – First Sunday of Advent (A)
Mass Readings: Is 2:1-5, Ps 122, Rom 13:11-14,
Mt 24:37-44
Key Verse to Meditate: “Therefore, you also must
be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an unexpected hour” (Mt 24:44).
Dear Brothers and Sisters in the Lord,
The First Sunday of Advent
invites us with the theme, “Be alert and be ready for the arrival of
the Son of Man.” At the beginning of the liturgical year, we are
called to abandon old habits and begin a renewed life as we prepare for the
coming of the Lord. Beyond the joyful message of the Gospel, which announces
God’s redemptive coming, we often forget the reality of divine judgment in our
modern world.
The First Reading
The prophet Isaiah speaks of
the Lord uniting all peoples in peace and establishing His presence on Mount
Zion, the mountain of the Lord, in the holy city of Jerusalem: “For out of Zion
shall go forth instruction, and the word of the LORD from Jerusalem” (Is 2:3).
The prophet portrays Mount Zion as a place of joy, where God’s people gather to
worship the Lord. God, the bringer of peace, will judge between nations and
arbitrate for many peoples: “They shall beat their swords into plowshares, and
their spears into pruning hooks; nation shall not lift up sword against nation,
neither shall they learn war any more” (Is 2:4). Isaiah calls all people to
walk in the light of the Lord and follow His instruction: “O
house of Jacob, come, let us walk in the light of the LORD!”
The Second Reading
In his letter to the Romans,
St. Paul reminds Christians that salvation is nearer now than when we first
believed (Rom 13:11-14). Contrasting the life of sin with the life of grace, he
urges us to live as children of light. The darkness of sin must give way to the
light of Christ. We are called to lay aside works of darkness and put on the
armor of light, living honorably and avoiding indulgence, quarrels, or
jealousy. Instead, we are to put on the Lord Jesus Christ and make no provision
for the desires of the flesh (Rom 13:12-14).
The Gospel Reading
The Gospel reading presents the announcement of the coming of the Son of Man and calls us to be attentive to His presence. The Gospel reading presents the announcement of the coming of the Son of Man and calls us to remain attentive to His presence. The Parousia of the Son of Man is compared to the suddenness with which the contemporaries of Noah were overtaken by the flood (Gen 6:5–24).
Before entering the ark, Noah warned of the impending disaster
and urged people to take notice and repent. Yet they continued their normal
daily routines—eating, drinking, marrying, and giving in marriage—ignoring his
warning. It was only when Noah entered the ark and the floods came that they
faced destruction. The faithful family of Noah was separated from the others
because of their wickedness and infidelity to God (Gen 6:5; 11-12). God
rejected corruption, violence, and the spread of evil on the earth. On the day
of judgment, there will be a separation of the just from the unjust, as also
shown in today’s Gospel, where among two people in the field or at home, one is
taken and one is left behind.
The saints will be hidden in God, while the faithless will be exposed to
punishment on the day of the Lord. Jesus teaches that the coming of the Son of
Man will be sudden and swift. Verses 41-42 speak of two men in the field and
two women grinding meal together, representing two categories of people: one
faithful and the other unfaithful to the Lord. Judgment will fall upon one of
them as they go about their daily routines. Though both were doing the same
activities, God’s judgment goes beyond external similarities, and each person
must face the sudden judgment of God. That is why Jesus says, “Keep
awake therefore, for you do not know on what day your Lord is coming”
(Mt 24:42, 44).
The
coming of the ‘Son of Man’ is described as that of a thief in the night (cf. 1
Thess 5:2; 2 Pt 3:10; Rev 16:15). If a householder knew when the thief would
come, he would stay awake to protect his possessions and prevent the intrusion.
Therefore, Jesus gives a strong exhortation to watchfulness and readiness to
meet the Son of Man (cf. 1 Thess 5:6; Rev 3:3). Similarly, in our spiritual struggle, we
need to remain vigilant to prevent darkness and sin from entering our lives. If
the light of Christ is strong in our hearts, darkness will flee. The most
important thing is to be ready for the arrival of the Son of Man (Jn 5:27; Dan
7:13-14), who can come at any moment.
Be On your Guard
Today’s Gospel passage highlights the uncertainty surrounding the return of
the Son of Man, whose coming will be completely unexpected. Because the exact
moment is unknown, the disciples of the Lord are called to live in constant
spiritual readiness.
Jesus compares the days of Noah to the days of
the coming of the Son of Man (Mt 24:37, 39). In Noah’s time, people were
absorbed in the ordinary routines of life—eating and drinking, marrying and
giving in marriage—paying little attention to God or His warnings. Referring to
this attitude, Jesus cautions, “Be on guard so
that your hearts are not weighed down with dissipation, drunkenness, and the
anxieties of life” (Lk 21:33–35). In today’s Gospel, Christ warns us not
to allow our hearts to fall into worldliness, nor our minds to be clouded by
excessive worry. If we permit our hearts to become burdened, we risk slipping
into spiritual laziness or blindness. In such a state, prayer becomes optional,
holiness becomes secondary, and God is pushed to the margins—just as in the
days of Noah.
Worldly distractions and unchecked pleasures
can gradually distance us from God and weaken our commitment to living a holy
life. Excessive attachment to pleasure stands in direct contrast to the love of
God. Therefore, the Lord urges us to remain awake, attentive, and spiritually
alert, for we do not know the hour of His visitation. Vigilance over the state
of our inner life is not a burden or a cause for fear, but rather a sign of a
heart governed by God’s presence and guided by His law.
While
pleasure can weaken the soul, prayer fortifies it. May we learn to guard our
hearts from the excesses and distractions of this world, so that we may stand
prepared and joyful at the coming of the Messiah.
Points for Personal Reflection
As disciples of
the Lord, we cannot delay living as if judgment does not exist, just because
God’s return is not expected every day. As in Noah’s time, we must not wait for
an immediate threat to repent. Salvation and judgment are closely linked; they
can come at any moment, whether during great catastrophes or in the course of
daily work at home or in the field. One may be taken, another may escape; one
is saved, another is abandoned. We must ensure that we are not caught unprepared
at the moment of judgment. Being ready does not depend on the approval of
others. When called, we must stand before the throne of God, knowing that our
salvation or perdition is in our own hands.
The First Sunday of Advent, therefore, calls us to vigilance. May this
vigilance keep us spiritually alert and ready to celebrate the great feast of
Christ.
Can I take seriously the promise of Christ in Mt 24:44: “Watch
therefore, for you do not know on what day your Lord is coming”?
Am I vigilant and prayerful regarding the coming of the Lord?
We can choose to live for God or live against Him and His commandments. The
choice is ours. We must listen to the words of Christ and obey His voice to
save ourselves.
Conclusion
The First Sunday of Advent is a
powerful call to vigilance, prayer, and conversion. It reminds us that the
coming of Christ is both joyful and demanding: joyful because of the promise of
salvation, and demanding because it calls for a life of holiness, moral
integrity, and readiness. As we begin this new liturgical year, let us allow
Christ’s light to guide us, transforming our hearts and lives so that we are
prepared to welcome Him at every moment, saying with trust and hope, “Come,
Lord Jesus, and reign in my life.”
Great insights, Fr Patrick
ReplyDeleteThank you Fr. Yesu. You too are a great writer and I appreciate much your sermons.
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