THE DAYS ARE COMING...

I SUNDAY OF ADVENT - Jeremiah 33:14-16

“See, the days are coming”!

In Bemba, a similar statement - “Mukacimona!” You will see it! - is taken as a curse, and as such it brings fear, leaving the ones to whom it is addressed very worried. You will see it falling upon you, that is evil days full of suffering are coming to you.

However, in the mouth of Jeremiah, “the days are coming” is a pronouncement of the Lord and it refers to the day of salvation, “when I am going to fulfil the promise I made”. It is not the threat of a curse, but the message of hope, proclaiming that liberation is at hand. There will be “justice and righteousness in the land” and our land will be called “The-Lord-our-integrity” or “The-Lord-is-our-righteousness”. (Jr 33:14-16).

And this is the message of Advent, a message of hope. We are not under a curse, but a promise - the promise of life and salvation. Surely, that day will be a terrible day for the ones who refused to prepared themselves and to welcome the offer of salvation. Jesus advises us to “stand erect, hold your heads high, because your liberation is near at hand.” 

“Stay awake, praying at all times for the strength to survive all that is going to happen, and to stand with confidence before the Son of Man.”

We must live in a state of alertness. It is interesting that in the world, mainly in Europe, because of the threat of terrorist attacks, people are called upon to be in constant alert. They may strike anywhere and at any time. Our alertness means to be always prepared to answer the call of the Lord. And Jesus tells us very clearly what he means, when he calls us to be prepared:

“Watch yourselves, or your hearts will be coarsened with debauchery and drunkenness and the cares of life, and that day will be sprung on you suddenly, like a trap.”

In his letter to the Thessalonians, Paul gives us a similar advice

“we urge you and appeal to you in the Lord Jesus to make more and more progress in the kind of life that you are meant to live: the life that God wants”.

Nowadays, from everywhere, we receive conflicting messages. On one hand, in the capitalist and competitive society in which we live, people are called to excel, fighting always for the first place. For many people, this is an impossible task and the struggle to carry it out destroys them. On the other hand, people are called to enjoy life and to take it easy, going through all kinds of satisfying experiences. However, easy life leads nowhere; in fact, most of the times, it leads to emptiness and even despair.

Paul reminds us that our life is a journey in which we struggle daily to move forward. We must make an effort to make more and more progress to live as God wants us to live. In the end, God will grants us the fullness of joy, peace and love.

May the Spirit of wisdom and love guide us and strengthen us, so that we “may be blameless in the sight of our God and Father when our Lord Jesus Christ comes with all his saints.” (1 Thes 3:12-4:2).