FIRST SUNDAY OF ADVENT: GOSPEL YEAR B

Jesus said to his disciples “Be watchful! Be alert! 

During Jesus’ time a Roman soldier could face execution if he fell asleep during guard duty and allowed the enemy to penetrate the camp.

·How watchful are we against the spiritual enemy who wants to draw us away from God?

You do not know when the time will come. 

·There are two words in Greek for time: “Kairos” and “Chronos.”  The first conveys that that moment is a crucial, decisive moment in a person’s life. The second is the ordinary way we understand time, as another moment in life.

·That “Kairos” moment is the time of our death and judgment before God.

It is like a man traveling abroad. He leaves home and places his servants in charge, each with his work, and orders the gatekeeper to be on the watch. Watch, therefore; you do not know when the lord of the house is coming, whether in the evening, or at midnight, or at cockcrow, or in the morning. 

·These are the four Roman watches of the night:  Evening watch (6:00 - 9:00 p.m.); midnight watch (9:00 - midnight); cockcrow watch (midnight - 3:00 a.m.); and dawn watch (3:00 - 6:00 a.m.).  Note that they are all nighttime watches.

May he not come suddenly and find you sleeping. What I say to you, I say to all: 'Watch!'" 

· What does it mean to you to be watchful, stay awake?

· Jesus reminds us that he will come again. What effect does this realization have on the way you live?

· What changes should be made in your life in order to respond attentively to the message of Jesus in today’s Gospel?

· It may be good to develop the habit of praying daily  “Come, Lord Jesus, Come!”  as a way of reminding yourself of the Gospel message:

·    As we begin this Advent season, what are we watching for? Is it not the coming of Jesus in the present moment of our lives? How attentive are we to the comings of Jesus throughout our day, week, month? If we are watchful in the present moment, what will be different when he comes in that final kairos moment of our life on earth?