"There's a somebody I'm longing to see, I hope that he, turns out to be, someone who'll watch over me." Very beautiful lyrics written by George and Ira Gershwin, sung beautifully by the likes of Ella Fitzgerald, Barbara Streisand and Linda Ronstatd. The song was introduced many years later to a new generation thanks to the movie, Mr. Holland's Opus.
While the intent was certainly romantic, I get comfort from the thoughts of someone to watch over me. Growing up I remember how my grandmother, mom, aunt and uncle watched over me. I remember getting married and realizing that Wendy and I now had someone new to watch over me and someone we would watch over. Becoming parents for the first time was another realization that I had someone who needed me to watch over them. This for me is comforting.
As people of faith, "that someone" that watches over us all the time is Jesus. In Advent, we should ask, are we watching for Jesus.
Happy Advent and Happy new liturgical year! The colors have changed and the Year jumps from A to B as we leave behind the Gospel of Matthew and move to the Gospel of Mark. We indeed have arrived at Advent, a period of watching and waiting. For most of us, we watch and wait and prepare for Christmas and the long awaited birth of the babe of Bethlehem. But there is more to advent as we watch and wait for Jesus to come again, because Jesus indeed will come again! Today' Gospel makes that evident! We begin Advent way back in the 13th chapter of St. Mark's Gospel. It does not sound very much like Advent or Christmas or about the coming of baby Jesus. No, Jesus tells a parable that begs us to be alert, to not be found sleeping, to watch. The Gospel talks about a household, and that is indeed the Church. All of us make up the Church! There is a lord of the household who indeed is Jesus. And then there are the servants, which represents all of us, serving the household of the Lord. And finally, we meet the gatekeeper. Now the gatekeeper could represent the leadership of the Church; those entrusted with authority who help us to follow the teachings of Jesus and Holy Mother Church. We are called, as the servants of the household to obey. But we could also discern that gatekeeper also places a responsibility on us; from the innermost parts of our heart and deepest depths of our souls, to live soberly, to go about our assigned duties and tasks, all the while watching and waiting; being alert!
We here in the Gospel that the lord of the house indeed will return; but when, we are not to know. Many thought it would be right after the Ascension, surely it would be at the destruction of the Temple in 70 A.D. In our own day, many were convinced He would come again at the turn of the century, the famous Y2K. No, He comes when He comes, when the time is right, and nothing we can do will be able to predict that. Still, we are called to be ready, be alert, be vigilant, but keep on doing what we are called to do by our very being. Don't be lazy or slack because we think the second coming is here, no, rather, live, love, work, play, pray, worship, be!
How are we called this Advent, right now, this week to prepare, both for Christmas and His second coming? First, be prepared for Mass, every week and use this Advent as a launching point. If you do not do this already, may I suggest a period of preparation for each Sunday Mass. Review prayerfully the readings for the upcoming Mass, read a commentary on the readings. You may even want to review the prayers used for the upcoming Mass. There are so many resources to help us do this. Now is a great time to start. Secondly, consider first Friday this week. We have Adoration and Benediction of the Blessed Sacrament; the only time this occurs during Advent. We need a generous response to our upcoming first Friday and what a perfect way to watch!! Watch Him, exposed on the altar, in the monstrance and give Him worship! It is a perfect thing to do every First Friday, especially this one, in Advent. Our Advent Mission begins this week. Held on three different evenings throughout the month, our first session is this Thursday, December 4th. Come and get prepared, come watch, be vigilant! Whatever we can do, let's all make the commitment to really celebrate Advent now, to remember Christmas comes later in December and not get to wrapped up in the worldly celebrations without truly participating in this grace filled season of Advent!
Someone to watch over me; that someone is always Jesus Christ. Let's watch for Him! Again I say, watch!
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