HOMILY – 1^ST SUNDAY OF ADVENT

ST. ANTHONY CHURCH & FURMAN UNIVERSITY

GREENVILLE, SC – 8 & 11AM, 8:30PM  - DECEMBER 3, 2006

May the Lord for whom we wait, give us His peace.

Coming soon,  pleasing God,  oh the weather outside is frightful.

Coming soon.  There will be no marquee, no flashing lights, no searchlights scanning the darkness to show us He has arrived.  Only these words from the Prophet Jeremiah are given.  He is coming soon.  “The days are coming…”

In Advent, these 4 weeks before Christmas we concentrate on 3 comings; the pretty one – little baby Jesus warmed by the animals, Jesus’ coming into our hearts more deeply as we work on that these days, and Jesus’ second coming.  When we say He is coming soon, see the 3 – baby, heart, J-day.  On the way home or at the brunch table see if you can name the three ways we celebrate Jesus’ coming. 

The first coming we call incarnation, the second conversion and the third redemption.  When Jesus comes more deeply into our hearts, the second way, we find ourselves changing.  We love more people, get invested in government, lessen suffering, build dignity where it gets lost.  Catholics join boards, committees, charities, we join them or lead them.  It’s the new incarnation.

Pleasing God.  St. Paul encourages us to please God.  We enjoy pleasing people.  But some people are impossible to please.  Is God impossible to please?  Let’s see.  What does God ask for today?  “Strengthen your hearts, imitate those who have received the Spirit, be ready for what is coming.”  It seems a burden at first but a closer look shows that God is with us, for us.  God wishes us to be blameless.  Seems like a tall order until you are to blame.  Then being blameless seems the easier task.  God is for us.  Pleasing God, pleases me.

Oh the weather outside is frightful.  “Signs in the sun and the moon, roaring of the seas, heavens shaken, clouds of power,” describe the second coming.  When these things happen, when life is stormy like that, “Stand erect and raise your heads.”  Jesus is coaching His team. 

If we get drowsy, carouse, full of anxiety, scared, the day could come like trap snapping on our leg.  Instead be vigilant!  Watch!  Wait!  Look for Him!  The ball may be reversed, the pass tipped away, play through exhausted.  You want to win! Right!?  Coaches get excited like that about a game.  I wonder how excited they would be about winning eternity?  Freedom from sin?

Oh the weather outside is frightful.  But the fire of His love is so delightful.

Advent, 3 comings.  Pleasing Him wins us more than the game.  And come what may, we build a house for ourselves and others so even in the weather we can stay together.