1st Sunday in Advent - Fr. Brian Ching, C.S.C.

It is difficult for Christians to mark the Advent season when the world around us seems already to have skipped to Christmas. And yet, in the midst of this "Christmas-ifying" of the world, the Church calls us to a time of patient waiting for the coming of the Lord. That's hard to do when the world already seems to have gotten there. But such worldly impatience for the coming of the end actually says much about why this season is so important.
This joyful, anxious, excited anticipation is exactly what Advent is meant to capture. It is a sign of our joyful anticipation of the coming of the end times, when this world will pass and the Kingdom of Heaven will come to reign. It is the anticipation of the moment when God will draw us to himself and invite us to gaze upon his face for all eternity. Does our excitement for the coming of Christmas equate to the same joyful excitement for the coming of the end times?
Just as we want a foretaste of Christmas during Advent, so we should want a foretaste of heaven here on earth. We should want to make heaven present to us every day. Our waiting as Christians is an active reality, one where we gather each morning to meet our Christ, as our opening prayer mentions.
This seeking to make heaven present in our daily life defines our vigilance. The Lord invites and calls us to approach each day joyfully, knowing we are one step closer to the coming of his Kingdom, and to go about each day knowing he has called us to eternal life.
If we live the life of Christ each day, then the coming of the Last Day is not something to run from but to run towards. It is the moment of our ultimate fulfillment. The Lord invites us to reflect today on how our anticipation of heaven shapes who we are each day.
How can we stand in kindness and peace and charity in a world that is so often defined by hatred and violence? How does our trust in the coming of God's Kingdom encourage us to stand as witnesses to the Gospel? How does the Gospel call us to stand against the violence and evil that sometimes defines our world and stand for the life of Christ? It is the promise of heaven that allows us to reject sin and to embrace the peace and love of Christ. Let us renew our trust in God's promise and renew our resolve to wait joyfully each day for his everlasting Kingdom of peace, of life, and of joy.
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Jesus said to his disciples: "As it was in the days of Noah, so it will be at the coming of the Son of Man. In those days before the flood, they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, up to the day that Noah entered the ark. They did not know until the flood came and carried them all away. So will it be also at the coming of the Son of Man. Two men will be out in the field; one will be taken, and one will be left. Two women will be grinding at the mill; one will be taken, and one will be left. Therefore, stay awake! For you do not know on which day your Lord will come. Be sure of this: if the master of the house had known the hour of night when the thief was coming, he would have stayed awake and not let his house be broken into. So too, you also must be prepared, for at an hour you do not expect, the Son of Man will come."
Matthew 24:37-44
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The Congregation of Holy Cross is a community of Catholic, apostolic priests and brothers called by Jesus Christ and founded by Blessed Basil Moreau, who patterned the religious community after the Holy Family.
The brothers and priests of Holy Cross pray and live united in a common religious life, sharing the same history, vows, and spirituality, and drawing from Blessed Moreau’s trust in Divine Providence, confidence in the Cross as our only hope - Ave Crux, Spes Unica - and zeal to make God known, loved, and served.
Holy Cross priests and brothers are called upon to be educators in the faith, who with a preferential option for the poor, educate both the mind and heart principally in the fields of education, parish, and mission.
Our distinctive charism and trust in Divine Providence has guided Holy Cross members to found world-renowned institutes of Catholic higher education, parishes across the United States and Mexico, along with other important ministries on five continents. The Congregation of Holy Cross is a vibrant and committed community thriving today with Blessed Moreau’s original zeal and passion to love and serve the people of God.
We are men with hope to bring!
If you’re interested in a life of service to others as a Priest or Brother of Holy Cross, visit holycrossvocations.org.