On the first Sunday of Advent, Pope Francis calls on us to “awaken from our slumber” and to always be aware of the presence of God and to welcome Him in our daily lives.
By Thaddeus Jones
VATICAN CITY — Welcoming pilgrims in Saint Peter’s Square on the first Sunday of Advent, Pope Francis offered his customary reflections and catechesis before leading the recitation of the Angelus prayer. Today’s Gospel, he recalled, reminds us that the Lord is coming to be with us, marking the “foundation of our hope,” a fact that should give us consolation even in the most difficult times of our lives.
The Lord close to us
The Pope pointed out that the Lord always visits us in our lives, “makes Himself close, and will return at the end of time to welcome us in His embrace.” But we naturally ask ourselves, how will the Lord come to visit us and how will we recognize and welcome Him?
The Lord visiting us
The first question the Pope asked requires us to reflect more deeply, as we often hear the Lord is present in our daily lives, accompanying us in our journey. This reality may get lost at times, he observed, as we become “distracted” by the many concrete aspects of our daily lives; or perhaps we only look for spectacular and miraculous signs of the Lord’s presence. The Pope pointed out how Jesus in today’s Gospel reminded His listeners that God will come when we least expect it and in our normal, everyday lives, as in “the days of Noah.”
God’s presence in our daily lives
The Pope underscored that “God conceals Himself in the most common and ordinary situations in our life,” and we need to be constantly aware of this reality, not awaiting extraordinary events. This can be when we face someone in need, a chance encounter, or even in what might seem quiet or dull moments of daily life. “It is right there that we find the Lord, who calls to us, speaks to us, and inspires our actions.”
Recognizing and welcoming the Lord
The Pope said the second question regards how we can recognize and welcome the Lord.
“We must be awake, alert, vigilant. Jesus warns us: there is the danger of not realizing His coming and being unprepared for His visit. I have recalled on other occasions what Saint Augustine said: ‘I fear the Lord who passes by’… that is, I fear that He will pass by and I will not recognize Him!”
The Pope recalled how Jesus spoke about the people in the time of Noah, who were living their ordinary lives until they were swept away by the floods, as they were absorbed in their own matters. We need to always discern God’s presence in our daily lives and not miss this big picture, as can happen when we are distracted by earthly matters only.
Be alert and vigilant
The Pope said Advent is the time we can be “shaken out” of our lethargy and awakened “from our slumber” to be vigilant always. We can ask ourselves if we are alert and vigilant, and if we “recognize God’s presence in daily situations,” saying that if we are unaware of this reality today, we will be unprepared when He arrives at the end of times.
“May we be helped by the Holy Virgin, Woman of waiting, who knew how to perceive the passing of God in the humble and hidden life of Nazareth and welcomed Him in her womb.”
