First Sunday of Advent
As we enter the sacred season of Advent, the Gospel for this First Sunday invites us into a spirit of watchfulness and renewed attentiveness. Jesus’ words, referring to the days of Noah, of suddenness, and of one being taken and another left, can initially strike us as unsettling. Yet, when we listen more deeply, we hear not a message of fear but a profound invitation rooted in love. Advent begins with a wake-up call, a reminder that the Lord is near and that our hearts must be ready to receive Him.
In the Gospel, Jesus recalls how the people of Noah’s time lived their daily routines without awareness of what God was doing in their midst. They ate, drank, married, and worked, all good and standard parts of human life, yet they failed to see beyond the surface of their days. Their lives were whole, but their hearts were asleep. Jesus uses this example to urge us not to slip into the same pattern of spiritual drowsiness.
It is easy for us to do just that. We, too, become absorbed in our responsibilities, schedules, worries, and endless stream of tasks. Modern life surrounds us with noise and distraction. Without noticing, our awareness of God’s presence can fade into the background, becoming something we intend to return to “later.” Advent interrupts that pattern. It calls us to stop, to look, to listen, to stay awake.
To “stay awake,” as Jesus teaches, does not mean living in constant anxiety. It means living with spiritual alertness, with eyes open to God’s quiet activity in our everyday experiences. Christ comes to us in many ways: through the Scriptures proclaimed at Mass, through the Eucharist we receive, through the people we encounter, through opportunities to serve, and through moments of stillness in prayer. Being awake means recognizing these moments as places where the Lord is inviting us closer to Him.
Advent preparation, then, is not simply about preparing for Christmas as a holiday. It is about preparing for Christ as a person, Emmanuel, God with us. This season invites us to make room for Him, to clear away what clutters our hearts, and to cultivate habits that draw us deeper into a relationship with Him. We might commit to daily prayer, acts of charity, reconciliation with someone we have hurt, or simplifying aspects of our lives that distract us from God. These small choices help us remain aware of His presence.
Ultimately, the message of this Sunday’s Gospel is one of hope. Jesus reminds us that He will come, at the end of time, at the end of our earthly lives, and in countless quiet ways between now and then. We do not know the hour of His coming, but we do know His desire: that we be ready, not frightened; awake, not distracted; hopeful, not discouraged.
As we begin this Advent journey, may we allow the Lord to awaken our hearts once again. May this season renew our longing for Him, sharpen our spiritual vision, and deepen our trust in His promise to be with us always. And when He comes, in ways seen and unseen, may He find us watchful, faithful, and filled with hope.
Come, Lord Jesus.
