“‘Being vigilant’ in preventing every ‘enemy’ from invading the ‘Great Walls of holiness!'”

(Based on Is 63:16b-17, 19b; 64:2-7, 1 Cor 1:3-9 and Mk 13:33-37 – 1st Sunday of Advent, Year B)

In ancient China, the people desired security from the various enemies that surrounded them.

The result of this deep desire?
>> The Great Wall of China.
It’s 30 feet high, 18 feet thick, and more than 2400 km (1500 miles) long!

The goal was to build an impenetrable defense…
… too high to climb over
… too thick to break down
… and too long to go around.

But during the first 100 years of the wall’s existence, China was invaded three times.

How was it possible?

It wasn’t the wall’s fault.
>> The barbarians never climbed it
>> They never broke through it
>> They never even went around it.

They didn’t have to.
All they did was bribe a gatekeeper and march through an open door.

Those who guarded the gate had been bribed!
>> While the people sat comfortably behind the security of the wall…
… they failed to teach their children integrity and patriotism.
>> So they sold out to the enemy.
>> And the enemy invaded their land.


“Eternal vigilance is the price of freedom” is the famous saying!

The Gospel of the Day is an important teaching to “stay faithful to our Master” and strong reminder to “remain vigilant.”


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

In the Church, there are six different liturgical seasons.
1. THE SEASON OF ADVENT is a time to become aware of God’s deep faithfulness and preparing our
hearts to receive Him more deeply into our lives.
2. THE SEASON OF CHRISTMAS invites us to experience, thank and cherish the intervention of God in our lives and to grow deeper in the understanding of the ‘Emmanuel God’ – the God Who is with us!
3. THE SEASON OF LENT invites us to focus on the reality of sin and make repentance.
4. THE SEASON OF HOLY TRIDUUM invites to focus and experience the passion, death and Resurrection of our Blessed Lord.
5. THE SEASON OF EASTER invites us to focus on the mighty power of God through His Resurrection and the New life that He promises.
6. THE SEASON OF THE ORDINARY TIMES invites us to focus on the daily life and teachings of Jesus and draw practical conclusions for our life.


Today we begin the new Liturgical Year.
(The Readings for the Liturgical Year 2023-24: Sundays: Year B
and Week Days: Year II)

The Liturgical Year beautifully unfolds the Mystery of Christ, the cycle of the year…
… and the Church invites and calls all of us to live His mystery in our own lives!


Today is the starting of the Season of Advent – a time offered to all of us, to prepare meaningfully for the coming of Christ. Christ comes to us in…
(1) History – His Life, Death and Resurrection
(2) Mystery – The Sacraments that are offered to us
(3) Glory – His Final Coming

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

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 the 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 and alert in life with an illustration of a master entrusting great responsibility to his servants (Cf. Mk 13:33-37)

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 students happens when the teacher is absent in the exam hall.
>> The real test of the conduct of children happens when the parents are away from the house.
>> The real test of the character of 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 and then quickly get things in order?
>> Would they engage in malpractices and fraudulent activities or would they conduct themselves in truthfulness and sincerity?

The time of the return of the Master was unknown.
>> And this called for alertness and watchfulness at all times. Our whole life too, ought to be drenched in preparation and vigilance.


Often, we tend to allow laxity and sloppiness to dominate our lives.
We tend to become people “who allow ourselves to be bribed with comforts and pleasures of this world!”

>> Though we sense the enemies of sins and transgressions encroaching into our lives…
… we “accept the bribe” of making many excuses and postpone the need to repent.

>> Though we sense the adversaries of indifference and unconcern intruding our relationships…
… we “accept the bribe” of not taking the lead to improve our contacts and slip into more hatred.

>> Though we sense the foes of abuses and corruption infiltrating our society…
… we “accept the bribe” of passing the responsibility onto others and promote those evils by our apathy and lack of concern.


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

St Paul invites us to understand the remarkable faithfulness and the call of the Lord: “He will also strengthen you to the end, so that you may be blameless on the day of our Lord Jesus Christ. God is faithful…!” (1 Cor 1:8-9)


The Lord wishes to come into our hearts…
>> He will fulfil His promise of coming into us, when we do our part of being watchful and prepared…
Prophet Isaiah reminds the assurance of the Lord: “You meet those who gladly do right, those who remember you in your ways…” (Is 64:5)


Advent is a reminder and a call, to “get back to the basics” – to get back Jesus and His love and message back in our festivities and celebration of His Nativity.

Let us not to get lost in the glamour and glitz of this Sacred Season that the Church offers
>> Instead, grow deeper in the Love of the Lord…
… and be able to truly make December 25, not merely a calendar event – rather “an experience of the Lord being born in our hearts!”

As St. Thomas Aquinas: “Without God, I can’t. Without me, He won’t.”
>> Let us become…
… more watchful, more prayerful.


Let us stop “accepting the bribes of sin and comforts and pleasures”
>> Instead let us “be vigilant” in preventing every “enemy” from invading the “Great Walls of holiness!”


Wish you a Blessed Season of Advent!

God Bless! Live Jesus!

—————————–
📖 Discovering the beauty of the Catholic Church through the Catechism
MAN’S VOCATION LIFE IN THE SPIRIT – THE DIGNITY OF THE HUMAN PERSON – THE THEOLOGICAL VIRTUES
>> Fruit of the Spirit and fullness of the Law, charity keeps the commandments of God and his Christ:
“Abide in my love. If you keep my commandments, you will abide in my love.” (CCC # 1824)
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