Isaiah's Warning: Don't Be a None - Reflection 1st Sunday Advent

Readings

Welcome to Advent. This is the time of year we celebrate the coming of the Savior, Jesus Christ. Christ is coming!!  He has come already, two thousand plus years ago. Believers know and celebrate that coming. He will come again!! Believers celebrate the coming of Christ again in glory. This is what Advent is about.

We tend to forget  the Church celebrates three comings of Christ: the coming of Christ in Bethlehem, the coming of Christ in glory at the end of time, and the coming of Christ today in the life of the Church.

Christ comes today through Christian believers bringing Christ to the world every day. Some do it well. Some do it poorly. Some don’t care but say they are believers, yet don’t bring Christ to the world. The effects of those who call themselves Christian and bring Christ to the world are more than can be imagined.

The effect of those who call themselves Christians but don’t bring Christ to the world is just as immense. That may be the reason the world is experiencing an epidemic of faith caused by “Nones.” N-O-N-E-S. Nope, I did not misspell nuns.

“Nones” are those who have left the church, especially young people that when asked about religion will identify as “none.” Church leaders of all denominations are worried about these “Nones.”

There are a lot of “Nones” in the world; some call themselves Christian. Younger generations learn from those who come before them. They just chose to identify as “Nones.”

It is not something new.

Isaiah saw it. “There is none who calls upon your name, who rouses himself to cling to you. The poetry of his description can apply to each of us and if we are not diligent all become “Nones.” “We have all withered like leaves”.

All of us have become like unclean people, all our good deeds are like polluted rags; Lord would that you might meet us doing right, that we were mindful of you in our ways!

Paul wrote “God has called all to fellowship with Jesus Christ our Lord.” He continues, “In Him you were enriched in every way, with all discourse and all knowledge…”

Sadly, we seemed to have forgotten this. We are like those early Israelites who moved from a relationship with God. The world and so many who call themselves Christian have forgotten Christ.

We forget the mission of the church, to continue to the work of Jesus Christ. It was a mission given by Jesus. “As the Father has sent me so I send you….”

Our great commission is to bring Christ in the present. The living Christ comes in the Church and lives of Christian believers. Christ comes in the Eucharist, the sacraments, Christian tradition, our vocations, service and charity. Christ is present in Christian believers all across the earth.  

If we fall asleep and forget these, we become “Nones.” And none will call upon your name; none will rouse themselves to cling to you.

Show your love, show your salvation; or, we become “Nones.” Evangelize and share the good news of Jesus Christ; or, we become “Nones.” If we fail to live our mission to continue to the work of Jesus Christ, we become “Nones” that just call ourselves Christians.

Jesus tells us to be watchful.

Many are watching. May they see Christ in us.

Be watchful of the coming of Christ. Be watchful of His coming again in glory. Be watchful that we are not becoming “Nones:” N-O-N-E-S. Be watchful that Jesus Christ is coming to the world today through us, His Holy Catholic Church.

Be watchful. Be good. Be holy. Preach the gospel in the way we live and love. In those things, we will bring Jesus to the world every day. Amen.