Readings 1st Sunday Advent
Blessed be God. Praise be to Jesus Christ, now and forever. Amen.
Come, Holy Spirit—fill us with joy, set our hearts ablaze with your presence.
Today we begin Advent—the first Sunday of a new liturgical year.
Advent is here: the time we wait, the time we prepare, the time we open our hearts for the coming of the Lord.
But what does this season really mean?
Some might say: “It’s just the countdown to Christmas. Jesus has already been born in Bethlehem, died, and risen. Why do we need Advent again?”
The truth is, Advent is far more than a countdown.
It is a season of tension—holy tension.
The tension between what has already happened… and what is not yet complete.
We live in the in‑between: the time of promise, the time of preparation.
I felt that tension just days ago, sitting at my family’s Thanksgiving table.
It was a buffet—not just of food, but of people.
Catholics, Baptists, and some who just say Christian.
Some who have fallen away.
Some still searching.
Friends mixed in with family.
A table spiced with many lives, many voices, many answers.
And with family, there is always a surprise. Rivalry. Jealousy. Maybe a little too much “cheer.” That’s the messiness of human life.
As I looked around, a question rose in my heart:
What if the Son of Man came on Thanksgiving Day?
That question—
that tension—
is the very heart of Advent.
Already and Not Yet
Already, Christ has come.
Already, He dwells among us.
Already, He has brought salvation.
Isaiah gave us a vision: nations streaming to the Lord’s mountain, swords beaten into plowshares, peace reigning. That vision has already begun in Christ, who is our peace.
But it is not yet fulfilled.
We look at our world, our families, even our holiday tables—and we still see division, rivalry, brokenness.
The Kingdom is not yet complete.
That is why Advent is our wake‑up call.
Paul tells us: “Wake up! The night is far gone, the day is at hand.”
Cast off the works of darkness.
Put on the armor of light.
Repent. Ask forgiveness. Change.
Live as children of the day.
And Jesus says it plainly: “Stay awake! You do not know the day or the hour.”
Already, He is here.
Not yet do we know the moment of His return.
Advent is vigilance.
Advent is readiness.
Advent is living each day as if Christ could come today.
Wisdom Passed Down
My father used to say:
“Don’t let Jesus find you where you shouldn’t be.”
That is Advent wisdom.
Be ready. Be faithful. Be found in His light.
The Word of God is not for personal justification.
It is for all of us.
It prepares us for His coming—like the word given to Noah, like the Word made flesh in Jesus Christ.
When I look back at my Thanksgiving table, I see people—messy people—still listening for the Word of God.
And when I look around this Church family, I see believers—sharing that Word, passing on faith to children and grandchildren, proclaiming the Kingdom to neighbors and strangers.
So what does this mean for us?
It means Advent is not just four weeks on a calendar.
Advent is every day.
Every day we struggle against despair and distraction.
Every day we choose to walk in the light.
Every day we abound in love.
Every day we strengthen our hearts in holiness.
Already, He has come.
Not yet is His Kingdom complete.
But we live in hope.
We live in faith.
We live in love—
in the in‑between.
So let us wake up.
Let us repent.
Let us rejoice.
For Christ has come,
and Christ will come again.
The time is now.
Already He has come. Not yet is His Kingdom complete. Wake up, stay faithful, and let your daily love proclaim Christ’s coming.
Praise be to Jesus Christ, now and forever. Amen.
Advent Prayer
Lord Jesus,
You have come among us,
and You will come again in glory.
Keep us faithful, keep us ready,
that we may be found in Your light.
May our daily love proclaim Your Gospel,
and may our lives bear witness to hope,
to faith, and to holiness.
The time is now.
Come, Lord Jesus.
Amen.
