Fr. Richard OMOLADE

Not too long ago, President Donald Trump said he was coming to deal with the terrorists killing people in Nigeria. It is more than two weeks now and some are saying “Is Trump still coming?” “Are the US Army coming to free us from senseless killings and kidnapping? The expectation is high, but the preparations are not there especially with the spree of denials and linguistic gymnastics that our leaders, both political and religious have resorted to describe the anomaly in the Land. What is not in doubt is that like the Israelites of old, we need a saviour who will deliver us from all the evils that surround us.  But the help of man is vain, only God is the Saviour of the world and so we call upon Him, “Come Lord, do not delay” Indeed, our prayer is “Christ, come quickly, there is danger at the door.” Because of his love for us, Christ is ready to come, but are we ready? This is why we need Advent.

Preparing for the visit of an important guest has become a norm for many people. We want to put on our best dress, clean our houses, paint our surroundings and get the road straight and smooth. It is this kind of social practice that gave birth to the season of Advent. If commoners would prepare well for the coming of the Emperors and their Kings, Christians also must prepare for the coming of the king of the Universe.  There are about four weeks of Advent, and this gives us ample opportunity to prepare for the Coming of Jesus at Christmas. If we expect our lot to change as a people, we must learn to do things differently. If we want to change our lot as individuals, we need to embark on a new direction.  Human transformation can only begin when we have learnt to follow the dictates of God or allow him to lead us in our journey of faith. This is what Advent makes ready for us.

We expect to find Christ at Advent, but he has never left, we are the ones who wandered away. Our preparation, then at this Advent is about finding God in our life, finding him in the course of our work, finding him in our workplaces, finding him in the poor and the needy of our communities. In these people and places, Christ keeps coming and we don’t know him or welcome him well.

This Advent, let us remove the blinders that do not allow us to see clearly, the veils preventing us to see God in the people around us. This Advent, let us remove the cloud of hatred that has not allowed us to feel the pains of others. “He came to his own people and his own did not receive him, but to all who did receive him, he gave power to become children of God.” (John 1:11-12).

In a world hostile to God and religion, accepting Christ into one’s life is increasingly problematic. There are many unsavory values in the world and Christians must be strong and firm enough to reject anything contrary to God. Hence, at Advent, we must take time out to discern the values we have allowed to guide us, if these values are contrary to the values of Jesus, we must disown them. They could really become stumbling blocks and mountains of hinderances along our path to life everlasting.

To welcome Christ, the Prince of Peace and enter into his peace and feel his joy, we must prepare well. The season of Advent is not just a lonely waiting or idling away. It is a period of yearning, of expectation, when we yearn, we learn to wait, and in the waiting, we do all that will make the waiting worthwhile. Some of the things we can do and should do during our period of waiting include prayer, meditation, going to confession,  house cleaning if this will instill in you the spirit of detachment. Detach yourself from the pull of the material world so that you can be more focused on spiritual things.

We need a room for God in our hearts and in our life, so that he does not come again to find no acceptance. He is coming! Will you be ready?  When he comes back, will your heart be ready to welcome him? Remember the question of the Psalmist: “Who shall climb the mountain of the Lord, who shall stand in his holy place? The man with clean hand and pure hearts, who desires not worthless things…(Ps 24: 3-4.)

At Advent, we prepare for two comings, the coming of Christ at Christmas and the Coming of Christ at the end of the world.  Both are important, but our business environment has made us lose sight of the second only to focus more on the coming of Christ at Christmas and this not even in spiritual way, but in a material way where people plan only for the merriment that they want to enjoy.  If our preparation for the coming of Christ at Christmas is thorough, then his other coming will be pleasant for us. Only then shall we be able to say “Maranatha, Come, Lord Jesus”