Advent begins. How are you living?

From Safari….

This weekend brings us the beginning of Advent and the start of a new liturgical year.

We move from Year C, the year of Luke, in the Lectionary to Year A, the year of Matthew. The composition of the Gospel of Matthew dates between 80-90 AD. A core message in Matthew – in Jesus God becomes Emmanuel: God with us. An angel bestows that title in the opening narrative, and Jesus confirms that title in his final words: “I am with you always.” Unique to Matthew --- the Genealogy of Jesus, the visit of the Magi, the Sermon on the Mount, and the Great

Commissioning. Matthew is the only evangelist to use the word church. He often pictures Jesus teaching in more restricted settings: in synagogues and the Temple, places where people already have a faith commitment. There are three stewardship parables in Matthew. There is a strong Social Justice element in Matthew. His is the only Gospel of the great judgement scene, separating the sheep from the goats. I would encourage to study the Gospel of Matthew during the coming year; besides deepening your general knowledge of scripture, it will help you understand the Gospel selections.

A reminder that Advent has a twofold character: a season to prepare for Christmas when we remember Jesus’ birth; and our hearts and minds are directed to await Christ’s second coming at the end of time. Advent this year is 25 days long. This season cries out to reform our lives and know that our Christian life is meant to shape a world open to God’s will; the guidance of the Holy Spirit.

There was a time in the mid-1950s when civil defense authorities encouraged people to build backyard bomb shelters. A luxury version sold for $3,000. It was 14 feet long and 8 feet in diameter. The self-contained unit came with an electronic generator, an air filtration system, canned water, five bunks with air mattresses, blankets, storage shelves and safety suits to be worn when entering the post-nuclear-war world.

Few folks believed they would need such a survival shelter. It was the same in Noah’s time. Everyone just kept on doing what they always did. Only Noah and those on the Ark escaped when the rains came. As we enter this Advent time of preparation and waiting, it is fortunate that we don’t have to buy a $3,000 shelter or board a huge wooden ark in order to be saved. Our faith prepares us, and our faith will save us.

To live out our faith we are to synchronize our lives to Christ so that everything we do gives witness to Jesus. Paul gives a list from his day, and just as fitting today --- do not conduct yourselves in orgies and drunkenness, promiscuity and lust, rivalry and jealousy.

Isaiah the prophet speaks of a world where peace reigns is dominant. For Isaiah such a world is possible if we take the time and nourish ourselves on God’s word. He speaks of putting aside the weapons of war.

In the gospel Jesus tells us to go about our day to day lives aware of the end time. another. We have words and attitudes that are hurtful to another. We have anger and resentment and prejudices that build barriers between us. We have pride and selfishness that insist that our way is the best in most situations.

We have apathy and insensitivity that blind us to the needs of others.

How are you living the time between Christ’s birth and his second coming?