Matthew 24:42- Therefore, stay awake! For you do not know on which day your Lord will come.
My jaw dropped wide open to hear my name called during the campus flag raising ceremony. It was a simple grade school boy’s dream to become part of that 4-person representing our entire grade level in the annual General Information Quiz Bee. After the excitement have sunk in, I immediately buckled down to work and started collecting my reviewers – current events, headline news, government ministries (it was still Marcos era during that time) and other what-must-be-knowns. I tapped my ever-reliable Dad to check and organize my review papers. Thursday came and our teacher coach also inspected and checked my papers. I was visibly pleased to see her approving nod, an assurance about the great length of my data collection. Now, I have another full week to really start my actual review.
However on the next day and after the flag raising ceremony again, the participant’s name were one by one called again to my bewilderment. This time, we were asked to go up the stage and take our assigned seats.
“What is this? Is it a dry run?” I murmured to myself.
But as the emcee started detailing the mechanics of the quiz bee, it finally dawned on me that the Friday schedule our teacher coach was telling us about was that particular fateful day already and not the next week’s Friday that I mistakenly assumed. All the hard work and preparations went for naught because I totally overlooked the day and time when I exactly needed those information up inside my brain and not neatly written on papers. I can only keep my head bow, writing with jitters and shame for that untold blooper I made.
Expectedly, I ended the quiz bee in Cinderella-fashion, albeit not from the top, but from the bottom.
It was a very humbling experience.
This coming December 2 is the start of the Season of Advent in preparation for Christmas, the day of incarnation of the Lord. “Adventus” is a Latin word to mean “arrival or coming”. Our Lord and God, in fulfilling His divine plan to save mankind, became man and was born from a woman in fulfillment of the ancient prophecies.
With Advent the ecclesiastical year begins in the Western Churches. During this time the faithful are admonished
1. To prepare themselves worthily to celebrate the anniversary of the Lord's coming into the world as the incarnate God of love,
2. Thus to make their souls fitting abodes for the Redeemer coming in Holy Communion and through grace, and
3. Thereby to make themselves ready for His final coming as judge, at death and at the end of the world. (source: newadvent.org)
Advent is our church’s timely reminder for us about the inevitable fact of Christ’s 2nd coming which can happen in 2 ways. First is the end of the world which no one can ascertain to happen within our lifetime. Second is our own death which, without a single iota of doubt, will happen at the end of our earthly life. Our own death is worth reflecting during this season as well. This may variably be one of the reason why Advent comes after the feast of the Solemnity of Saints and Souls. It is not just a church calendar coincidence. There is nothing like preparing our life after foreseeing the end of it during our cemetery visits.
So now we focus on our personal Advent activities. Like any upcoming activities, we plot and make plans. For some, they even make a list.
I will go to confession.
I will devote more time for prayer.
I will participate in out-reach activities to help the needy people.
I will make thrifty holiday spending and divert the savings to donating to charitable institutions.
I will attend each of the nine Simbang-gabi preludes to Christmas.
I will visit or call my loved ones and friends in far places.
I will condition my body for the food-festivities and merry-makings of Christmas season.
I will start buying gifts early to avoid rush hour shopping.
I will learn to cook the best meal for my family.
I will attend reunions, and so on and so forth.
These are all good and pious plans but the tricky part will still be the timing of implementation. Let us not kid ourselves by procrastinating until a few more days or a few more weeks before improving ourselves.
Time is of the essence.
In giving birth, it is called the “baby-out” moment.
In children’s milestone, it is called walking, speaking and the like.
In school, it is called the final exams.
In sports, it’s called game-time.
In movies, it is called the climax of the story.
In books, it is called the main topic.
In work, it is called the project completion.
In quiz bees, it is called the quiz bee day (a special lament for my case)
Because, in the end, planning is good but loving now is what God expects from us. Go to confession now. Devote more prayer time now. Support and participate in God spreading activities now. Participate in all masses now. Visit a friend now. Call a loved one now. Take care of our body now. Do our best for our families and friends now. Respect other people now.
Pastor Jon Walker of Purpose-Driven Life Daily Devotional wrote, “And we are anxious that you keep right on loving others as long as life lasts” (Hebrews6:11 LB). There is urgency in learning to love now because today could be our last day on earth. This life is fleeting, and eternity is coming. The opportunities for us to express love come and go quickly; we cannot take them for granted. One day our earth-bound lessons will end, and we’ll love for eternity in heaven
Advent is being prepared when the Lord will come to take us back to His kingdom. And like a thief in the night we will never know when will that day come. Planning will not count. Only how much actual love we gave away will matter.
Loving now nullifies any planning.
Because there is no need to prepare for the Lord’s coming if He is already residing in our hearts.
God bless.
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