Gospel: Luke 21:25-28,34-36
At that time, Jesus said to his disciples: -“There will be signs in the sun, moon, and stars, and on the earth distress among nations, in perplexity at the roaring of the sea and the waves. People will faint from fear and foreboding of what is coming on the world, for the powers of the heavens will be shaken. Then they will see the Son of Man coming in a cloud with power and great glory. When these things begin to take place, straighten up and raise your heads, because your redemption is drawing near. Watch yourselves lest your hearts be weighed down with dissipation, drunkenness, and cares of this life, and that day come upon you suddenly like a trap; for it will come upon all who dwell on the face of the whole earth. Stay awake at all times, praying that you may have strength to escape all these things that are going to take place, and to stand before the Son of Man.”

Fruit: Begin preparing for Jesus’ coming during the upcoming Christmas season.

Guidelines for reflection:
The words we read in this Gospel are terrible: a warning of destruction, distress, and noise… But we also find a very comforting phrase: When these things begin to happen, rejoice; your redemption is drawing near. What do these prophecies have to do with the Advent period, which we are about to begin?

1. The darkness of the world
When we turn on the television each night, we find many negative news: destruction, wars, terrorism, murders, violence in families, accidents… If we open the newspaper, the experience is very similar: deaths, corruption, deception, hunger, layoffs… It seems that darkness, chaos, and gloom surround us, like a black hole swallowing the destinies of the world, pushing us downward, from bad to worse. Many historians agree in describing the Roman Empire at the time of Christ similarly: violence, corruption, abuse abounded, men lived without purpose, without an ideal. Only one motive kept the empire alive and growing timidly: the need to acquire more slaves to maintain the lifestyle of the patricians, the wealthy of that time.

2. The light shines in the darkness
Amidst that darkness, a prophecy of Isaiah is fulfilled: The light shines in the darkness, that Light coming from the small Jewish town of Nazareth. The light of the Messiah, the Son of God made man, comes to illuminate those dense shadows, and even socially, a new blood begins to flow—the blood of love for one’s neighbor, for all men, for each man. This fact is so significant, it has changed human history so profoundly that an incalculable number of people consider that event as year 0, the year that marked a before and after. That is what happened then. And today? This event has not gone out of fashion; it has no expiration date. Jesus Christ came then to bring us God’s love, and He continues among us. He came to stay, so that every person could contemplate and experience His love. To remind us of this love, every year He visits us especially during Christmas. He becomes a child to enter more easily into our hearts, to love us with a human heart, and to move our hearts more easily. That is God’s love.

3. How to better welcome that Light? Through prayer
The liturgical period we will begin next Sunday reminds us precisely that this great moment of Christmas, the feast of feasts, is approaching. The Church, Mother and Teacher, gives us these four weeks to prepare our interior for this great event. When something important happens, such as a visit from an important person, the Olympic Games…, the weeks and months beforehand are experienced differently: a great event is about to happen, and it must be prepared properly. Olympic Games or World Cups are not improvised the day before the opening. The same applies to Christmas. This Day of days, when Light comes to illuminate our darkness, cannot be improvised either. We must prepare our hearts to welcome the newborn, so that He does not pass by because we were distracted, buying turrón or wrapping gifts for our children, grandchildren, parents, or friends.

Purpose: I will spend some time in prayer, thinking about what I can offer to the baby Jesus during these weeks of Advent.