A Homily for the First Sunday of Advent

+ In his homily at Matins this morning St Leo the Great exhorts his hearers on the Second Coming of Christ spoken of in today’s Holy Gospel with the following words: “It behoves every man to be prepared for its coming lest he be found either given up to gluttony or entangled in the cares of this world…”
 
Rather, we must deny ourselves, He insists, and free ourselves from bodily desires so that, “all noise of earthly cares being silenced” we “may rejoice in holy mediations and eternal delights.”
 
It is a familiar and a worthy idea, but even for a monk it may seem too idealistic, even unachievable. For monks also – particularly in a new foundation – have to deal with earthly cares at times.
 
St Leo knew as much: “in this life it is difficult that such a state [of recollection] be continuous” he observed. But “it can nevertheless be frequently taken up anew,” he continued, “that we might be occupied with spiritual matters more often and for longer periods…”
 
In reading this sermon at Matins for the first Sunday of Advent our Mother the Church is calling us today, at the beginning of Advent, to exactly that: a more frequent and deeper occupation with spiritual matters in preparation for the Coming of Christ: His coming anew this Christmas;  His definitive coming at the end of time, of which we hear in today’s Holy Gospel; and His coming to us at the moment of our death and particular judgement (which may be soon, or which may be some time in the future).
 
Advent is a season more of preparation than of penitence, though self-denial and repentance and the making of a good confession are certainly integral elements of it. Being prepared for my death and particular judgement, being prepared for the coming of Christ at Christmas, being prepared for the Coming of Christ at the end of time: this is what Advent requires of me.
 
Certainly, this means that I must make more of an effort to conquer vices and grow in virtues. Perhaps it means that I must make definitive choices to avoid certain occasions of sin once and for all. If I do not, how can I hope to be ready for any of the comings of Christ?
 
And indeed, this Advent requires me to become more recollected, more focussed on things spiritual, as St Leo insists. Perhaps this season is the season to make some spiritual decisions about the direction of my life, about my willingness to give up my own will in matters small or large, and finally to follow God’s will no matter how much the prospect of it may frighten me.
 
For us all, not matter where we are in our spiritual disciplines, Advent is – as St Leo reminds us – a time to take up spiritual matters anew. I may not have the same sort of list of resolutions as I have at the beginning of Lent, but resolutions I should have nevertheless. They should be realistic. With God’s grace and my heartfelt cooperation, they will be achievable.
 
“Ad te levavi animam: Deus meus, in te confido.” (Ps 24:3) To you I lift up my soul: in you I place my trust, the first liturgical words of the missal – the Introit for this first Sunday of Advent – sings. Let us make them our prayer at this Mass and throughout this blessed season in its anticipation of grace beyond our imagining. Our hope will not be in vain. +

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