Is. 2:1-5; Ps. 122:1-9; Rom. 13:11-14; Mt. 24:37-44

“Therefore, stay awake!  And so it begins, the first Sunday of Advent, the anticipation of the coming of the Lord, and our preparation for his coming.  So too, you also must be prepared, for at an hour you do not expect, the Son of Man will come.”  Advent is the start of a new year of preparation for the coming of the Lord “For our salvation is nearer now than when we first believed”.  Each day of life is one day closer to the end for all of us and if prepared for it then we go rejoicing to enter into the eternal house of the Lord. 

Success in life is no accident but a continuous effort at being prepared for what is next.  We prepare for the next step in a process, the next opportunity to come, and the readiness to respond when it is here.  It only makes sense when we think of being successful in this world why would be different in terms of readiness for the eternal world?  Those who do not remain in their slumber, asleep to the heavenly reality.  The Lords calls us to be ready at any moment, to live each day as if it was the last in our preparation for heaven. 

What does this preparation for heaven involve as a Christian?  The Church is here to prepare us by living the sacramental life.  The Word of God is here to be incarnated into our being calling us to go forth and live the Word.  The Spirit comes with infused virtues to strengthen our resolve and discern the will of God for what is next.  Jesus gives himself up to us in body, blood, soul and divinity to give us his holiness and be holy. 

Therefore, to stay awake is to remain in the Lord even as we prepare for him.  We “put on the Lord Jesus Christ” by living our works of light and no space is given to the darkness of the flesh.  As the militant Church on earth our call is to do the next right thing before the Lord, one righteous act followed by another, one truth to follow another, one act of charity, forgiveness, compassion, and love followed by another.  It is the call to be perfect as our heavenly Father is perfect.  The evil one whispers to us that it cannot be done, reminding us of our past record showing our failure, weakness, and temptations.  We respond with truth, “we can do all things through Christ who strengthens us”.  When we put our trust in Jesus Christ and take that first right step towards him, he comes and brings us our salvation. 

Therefore, stay awake and let us allow the peace of Christ to be within us.  Isiah foretold “In the days to come, the mountain of the Lord’s house shall be established as the highest mountain”.  The day has come through and in Jesus and he established the new Jerusalem is his church.  Every day we come to Mass we climb the highest mountain on earth, the pinnacle of salvation at the altar to receive Jesus in the Eucharist and with him his mother, brothers and sisters in the holy of holies.  Today we climb the mountain of the Lord and “throw off the works of darkness and put on the armor of light” as true warriors of Christ.  The battle is against the principalities of darkness that rise up in the temptation of the flesh.  The battle for the kingdom is within and we must fight the good fight.  Win this battle and we have nothing to fear of this world.