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Showing posts with label chaplain's message. Show all posts
Showing posts with label chaplain's message. Show all posts
Take a Lesson From the Advent Wreath
By Fr. Matthew Kaderabek, LC
Happy New Year! Along
with the beginning of the Advent season, the Church inaugurated this past
Sunday a new liturgical year dedicated to our reliving in time the central
mysteries of the life of Christ. Christ
is “the Alpha and the Omega, the first and the last, the beginning and the end”
(Rev 22:13), and the Church has us begin each year focusing both on the end and
on the beginning so that we might better
live the present. Advent is the
season in which we prepare for reliving the beginning, Christ’s coming in the
past in Bethlehem; the season in which we prepare for the end, his coming in
the future on the clouds of heaven to judge the living and the dead; and the
season in which we embrace his coming in the present, in so many ways, but
especially in the Eucharist.
One of the beautiful Advent traditions that Catholics have
lived for centuries is the practice of having an Advent wreath in the Church
and at home. One of the primary questions
the Lord asks us during Advent is whether we are being vigilant for his coming
again, or whether we have fallen asleep.
The Advent wreath that we bless and light each year is meant to be a
symbol and cause of our readiness. The most important part of the Advent wreath
is not the color of the candles, which symbolize the hopeful spirit of the
weeks, or the evergreens, which symbolize God’s eternal love. The most important part is the flame, which
symbolizes our vigilance for Christ’s coming.
Just like the five wise virgins we read about in the Gospel, whose lamps
were always burning in anticipation for the return of the Bridegroom, so the
flame of these candles symbolizes and reminds us of our need to wisely await
Jesus’ coming.
Through the Advent wreath, we spiritually unite ourselves to
the Jews in their anticipation of the Messiah.
Isaiah said that they were a people “walking in darkness” (Is 9:2),
awaiting the light. St Matthew says that
that prophecy was fulfilled in Jesus: “the people who sat in darkness have seen
a great light, and for those who sat in the region and darkness of death, light
has dawned.” That light of the dawn is Jesus, the Light of the World. Both in Church and at home, the Advent wreath
is meant to help us to remain always ready, vigilant for Christ’s light to
irradiate our entire lives. Like people
who light up their doors at night whenever a guest is coming, so we light these
candles announcing that we’re expecting the arrival of the Divine Guest. This is the vigilance that will allow us to
become the good gatekeepers Jesus calls us to be, ready and alert to open the
gate as soon as the Master returns. Like
the flame on the candles, we are meant to continue to burn for Christ’s coming,
never to fall asleep, never to be extinguished.
The surest way for us to be ready for Christ when he comes
in the future is to be ready for him NOW.
The best litmus test to determine how we would have responded two
thousand years ago in Bethlehem Bethlehem
As we enter into Holy Week and prepare to commemorate the most important human event in history, the Passion, death and Resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ, let us reflect on how this amazing event not only changed the course of human history, but on what it meant for each one of us personally. Jesus bled and died upon the Cross for ME, not just a faceless, nameless humanity. And he loves me so much that he would do it all over again if necessary to save my soul…even if I were the only one on the face of the earth! This means that I have been bought…and at what a price: the blood of my Savior. I belong to Him. I am not my own. I was created to be one with God, and I have been his adopted child since the day of my baptism, a privilege purchased for me on the Cross. My new home is heaven. These are mind-blowing realities that need to shape my life, and effect absolutely everything I do…everything! This is the foundation on which I must build my life.
I was struck when I read Jesus‘ words in the Gospel earlier this week, 'I do not belong to this world,' he declared to the Pharisees. Each of us can truthfully repeat the very same words. I do not belong to this world… I belong to heaven, and I am homeward bound. Yes, we live in the world, but we are not of the world. We are pilgrims just passing through on our way to our eternal homeland. We dream about one day crossing the Jordan River, and entering into the Promised Land.
Do my thoughts, words and actions reflect this reality each day, or do I seem to be running after the things of the world? Where‘s my heart? Do I dream about heaven and seeing the Risen Lord face to face? Or do I satisfy myself trying to create my own heaven on earth? Am I able to give the passing realities and events that are going on all around me their proper value in the light of eternity? Or am I blinded by the glittering attractions that vie for my heart on all sides?
Let‘s not satisfy ourselves with the passing treasures and pleasures that the earth has to offer. Rather, let‘s keep our eyes on the prize…heaven, and eternity with God, with all the angels and saints. Let‘s not live these Easter mysteries superficially, but enter into them with all of our hearts and souls, and allow them to really sink in. These are our Easter mysteries. They are wonderful. And they define us.
Have a blessed Easter!
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