Legends are common and are important to a culture.

A legend is a semi-true story, which has been passed on from person-to-person and have important meanings or symbolism inherent in it.

It usually includes an element of truth, involve heroic characters or based on historic facts, but with ‘mythical qualities’.

One such famous legend is about King Nero.

In AD 64, a great fire consumed the city of Rome. For six days & seven nights, the Romans watched helplessly as their city burned…

This historical fact is accompanied by a legend which says that while the city of Rome was burning, its Emperor Nero was very casually busy, playing the fiddle!

It’s from this legend (true or not) that we get the English phrase “To play the fiddle while Rome burns”

It means to “do nothing or something trivial while knowing that something disastrous is happening”.

>> It means “to spend time enjoying oneself or doing things that are not important when one should be dealing with a serious problem”

The Gospel of the Day is a strong warning to examine whether we too, as in the legend of Nero, are engaging ourselves “in playing the fiddle, while Rome burns”.

We are on the first day of the Season of Advent.

In the Church, there are four different liturgical seasons…

1. The Season of Lent: Invites us to focus on the reality of sin and make repentance.

2. The Season of Easter: Invites us to focus on the mighty power of God through His Resurrection.

3. The Season of the Ordinary Times: Invites us to focus on daily life and teachings of Jesus and draw practical conclusions for our life.

4. The Season of Advent: Invites us to become aware of God’s deep faithfulness and prepare our hearts to receive Him more deeply into our lives.

Advent is a time to become more aware of the presence of the Lord in our lives.

>> Advent is a time to wake up from the slumber of sin to a life of grace and blessing.

>> Advent is a time to shake off the dust of sluggishness and become more zealous and fervent.

The word “Advent” is derived from the Latin word adventus, meaning “coming”…

… which is a translation of the Greek word parousia

The central theme of reading of the Day is Jesus’ warning to each one of us to be alert, watchful and prepared because Christ’s Second Coming can occur at any time.

We are invited to examine ourselves in asking….

>> Am I casually wasting away my life, without giving enough attention to my spiritual life?

>> Am I spending my time enjoying in vain, without paying attention to the higher things of life?

>> Am I dozing off in lethargy and laziness and failing to carry out my Christian responsibilities?

The Gospel gives a call to be awake & alert in life by an illustration of a master entrusting great responsibility to his servants.

Wandering land-owners and wayfaring masters were a common thing in the time of Jesus.

Large land-property owners often lived elsewhere, leaving their servants in charge of caring for and carrying on the business as if the owners were still present.

This kind of a situation was a test for the servants who were made in-charge.

>> The absence of the master was a test of the faithfulness of the servant.

The real test of the honesty of the students happens when the teacher is absent in the exam hall.

>> The real test of the conduct of the children happens when the parents are away from the house.

>> The real test of the character of the employees happens when the boss is not observing or monitoring them.

The real test of the faithfulness and commitment of the servant happens when the master or the land-owner is away and is not in a position to keep an eye on them…

>> Would they be faithful daily, or would they wait until they heard the master was about to return & then quickly get things in order?

>> Would they engage in malpractices and dishonest activities or would they conduct themselves in truthfulness and sincerity?

The time of the return of the Master was unknown.

The moment of the coming back of the owner was unspecified.

And this called for alertness and watchfulness at all times.

Our whole life too, ought to be drenched in preparation and vigilance.

Often times, we tend to allow laxity and sloppiness to dominate our lives.

We tend to become people “who play the fiddle, while Rome burns…”

Though we sense the fire of sins and transgressions burning in our lives, we play the fiddle of making many excuses and postpone the need to repent.

Though we sense the fire of indifference and unconcern burning in our relationships, we play the fiddle of not taking the lead to improve our contacts and slip into more hatred.

Though we sense the fire of abuses and corruption burning in our society, we play the fiddle of passing the responsibility onto others and promote those evils by our apathy and lack of concern.

This Season of Advent is a wonderful time to renew our commitment and consecration to the Lord.

The Lord wishes to come into our hearts….

>> God will fulfill His promise of coming into us, when we do our part of being watchful and prepared…

As St. Thomas Aquinas: “Without God, I can’t. Without me, He won’t.”

Let us become…

… more watchful.

… more prayerful.

Let us stop “playing the fiddle while Rome burns”

>> Instead let us “be enthusiastic and responsible while (our heavenly) Home calls!”

God Bless! Live Jesus!

All of us have had the experience of utilizing certain things or products which work quite fine for some time….but as time passes, becomes less effective or less efficient.

A ceiling fan/ table fan, after few months or years, tends to be less forceful…

>> A fast-processing computer/laptop after few months of years, tends to slow down…

>> Colourful clothes after a few washes or usage, tends to lose their initial glean and shine…

A similar aspect could be visible in our spiritual lives as well!

The Gospel of the Day is a reminder to examine this aspect in our lives and to make amends, in order to revitalise and revive our lives.

The Gospel begins with the verse “But take heed to yourselves lest your hearts be weighed down with dissipation…” (Lk 21:34)

Dissipation is strong word which could have several parallel understandings…

>> With respect to morality:

Dissipation refers to an overindulgence in sensual pleasures.

>> With respect to behaviour:

Dissipation refers to a conduct that shows one is interested only in pleasure, money, etc.

>> With respect to economics:

Dissipation refers to an act of using all or a lot of money, time, etc., in an imprudent way.

>> With respect to physics:

Dissipation refers to a physical process by which energy becomes not only unavailable but irrecoverable in any form.

Dissipation is a tendency…

… to squander away enthusiasm because of allowing monotony to creep into life.

… to lose vitality as a result of being indulged in continuous immoral behaviours

… to leak-out the energy and vigor in oneself, in small amounts and thus become lifeless

… to become disinterested and dispirited due to constant exposure to luxury and comforts

Dissipation is a terrible malady that had badly affected many people in the Bible…

>> The people during Noah’s time were dissipated with eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, although God had sent out a warning of their destruction through Noah.

>> The citizens of Sodom and Gomorrah were dissipated with extremely immoral and corrupt practices, even though the people were given a forewarning of their possible.

>> The people of Israel were dissipated with frustration and dissatisfaction while travelling in the desert and failed to understand the providential hand of God.

>> The disciples of Jesus were dissipated with sadness, shattering of hopes and brokenness after the death of Jesus and failed to believe and trust in His great promises.

We have a call to examine our lives and check whether we too have fallen into a state of “dissipation”…

>> Maybe my prayer life is “dissipated” due to various distractions, excuses of lack of time, complaints of being tired or just simply a lack of interest…

>> Maybe my personal intimacy with God is “dissipated” since I don’t experience any joyful or experiential feelings or because some of my expectations of God are not met…

>> Maybe my relationships with people is “dissipated” due to some friction or misunderstanding or an indifference that has sneaked in without any particular reason.

Maybe my family/community life is “dissipated” because I feel disinterested or not so enthusiastic in going beyond some of my personal comforts or I feel lonely in not feeling accepted or loved.

Dissipation can be a tendency that can steal into our lives very stealthily and can drain away much of our energy, eagerness and passion.

In the book of Revelations, the Lord has this complaint, ” …I have this against you: you have lost the love you had at first. Realize how far you have fallen. Repent and do the works you did at first” (Rev 2:4-5)

Let us seek to renew our initial fervour and zeal.

>> Let us challenge ourselves to revive our zest and interest.

The Lord deserves not “dissipated” people..

… but “spirited” and “passionate” people!

God Bless! Live Jesus!