Preparing For Christ's Coming

A Time of Preparing
A Reflection for the First Week of Advent
By Rev. Robert Johnnie )FA
Mission Saints Sergius and Bacchus
www.missionStSergius.org
Http://groups.yahoo.com/group/EverlastingLoveOfChristMinistry

Everywhere you look today you see people shopping for the perfect Christmas gift, people’s home being decorated with lights and trimming, and post offices jammed with people sending their greetings. I have to think “I wonder what they are doing to prepare for the coming of Christ?”.
The season of Advent is supposed to be a time when we Christians focus on the promises Christ made to us and to examine ourselves as to whether or not we are living according to Christ’s guidelines.
The word Advent comes from the Latin “Adventus” which means coming or arrival. The Aramaic word is “Marantha” which means “The Lord Cometh”. So, n essence it means to look forward to the Coming of our Savior. The word also has roots from the Latin “Ad” meaning to or toward and “Veni” meaning come.
The season is one of expectation and anticipation of something that is to happen in the future.
Now the question is how are we prepared for the coming that is promised in St. John’s “Apocalypse and the first Epistle of Paul to the Corinthians?
Are we really ready to meet our creator and answer to Him for the way we have lived our lives and used the gifts He has given us?
Are we living our lives “Semper Paratus”--translation Always Ready- the Coast Guard's motto?
We need to call to mind the words of Christ when asked when the He will come to claim His kingdom. The answer he gave was “No one knows about that day or hour, not even the angels in heaven, nor the son, but only the Father” (MATTHEW 24:35-37)
If we never know when we will have to face the Lord isn’t it wise for us to always be prepared?
All around us today we see the forces of evil using the same tools that Satin used before the beginning of time in challenging Almighty God. Satin even tempted Adam and Eve with it "For God knows that when you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil." (GENESIS 3:4-6). He even tempted Christ “the devil took him to a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their glory. And he said to him, "All these I will give you, if you will fall down and worship me." (MATTHEW 4:8-9) The desire for control and power is possibly Satins greatest form of temptation and it is usually couple with man‘s pursuit of wealth which we know is GREED.
We see it in the lives of every day people who are always trying to accumulate more wealth far in excess of what they need for everyday needs. We see it in Government leaders who forsake their responsibilities to those citizens who elected them in favor of gratifying the rich and powerful lobbies that provide funding, and sometimes graft money, for them . We see it in Religious Institutions who have compromised the basic teachings of Jesus Christ in order to attain power and wealth.
When there are children starving and dying all over the world because of poverty and wars when every day millions of food is wasted and thrown in the garbage. When people are turned away from worshiping and giving honor and praise to Almighty God because of their marital status or sexual orientation because it panders to a group of individuals who have many prejudices and deep pockets.
There are some who feel that observing the days of fast and abstinence (WEDNESDAYS AND FRIDAYS) and fasting on all the days of the week are enough according to scripture, What good is it, dear brothers and sisters, if you say you have faith but don’t show it by your actions? Can that kind of faith save anyone? ( JAMES 2:13 )The time is now for us to begin to place Christ at the center of our lives, to put the real meaning of Christmas back into the holiday. Without CHRIST there is no Christmas.
Let us truly prepare ourselves by praying more, receiving Eucharist more often, asking God for forgiveness of our failure to live according to His teachings. Let us begin to be more mindful of the needs of others by contributing to charitable organizations and returning a portion of our gifts back to God by supporting ministries that are struggling to proclaim Christ’s message of infinite and everlasting mercy, forgiveness and love for all His children.
I leave you with the following prayer for Advent:
Come, long expected Jesus. Excite in me a wonder at the wisdom and power of Your Father and ours. Receive my prayer as a part of my service of the Lord who enlists me in God’s work for justice.
Come, long expected Jesus. Excite in me a joyful response to the Father’s joy. I seek His will so I can serve Him with gladness and love.
Come, long expected Jesus. Excite in me the love and peace that is a rightful gift to bring to the manger of Our Savior. Raise in me an honest reverence for God and a honest gratitude for His gift of His son to the world.
Come, Long expected Jesus. Fill me with your peace and guide me in my service to you as I attempt to live according to your teaching.
Come, Long expected Jesus. Strengthen me so that I may be your instrument of bringing peace and harmony to all I encounter on my daily journey through life.
I ask these things in your name Jesus as you live and reign with the Father, Almighty God, and the Holy Spirit as one triune God, now and forever unto the ages of ages. AMEN