Prof. Matthew UMUKORO

The First Advent was the first coming of Christ which we celebrate every year at Christmas. Was December 25  the exact date of Christ’s nativity? There is no Biblical reference to the exact date of the birth of Christ; neither is the reason for the choice of December 25 by the early Christians so incontrovertibly stated. However, the celebration of Christmas is believed to have begun as early as the Second Century A.D. The controversy surrounding the exact date of birth is needless since the fact of the birth of Jesus is incontrovertible, and no calendrical accuracy is needed to celebrate the remarkable event.

        The first implication of Christ’s birth was that Jesus Christ, the Second Person of the Holy Trinity, came to assume a human form on earth as God-Made-Man. This was to infuse a bit of humanity into his overwhelming divinity. The birth was a humble and discreet affair, occurring in a lowly manger as opposed to an exalted place of birth. “Simple shepherds were the first witnesses to this event. In this poverty heaven’s glory was made manifest” (Catechism of the Catholic Church, par. 525, p.148). But the event was nevertheless proclaimed by a star which guided the three Magi to the cradle of the newly born King to worship him.  Unlike his later Ascension which was a public and spectacular affair, the Incarnation of Christ, foretold by previous prophecies had to be discreet and muted to make him acceptable as man, and enhance the redemptive role he had come to play in the world of fellowmen. Who would have had the temerity to crucify a supernatural person? This accounted for the controversies surrounding his true personality, even among his own disciples.

        By taking on human form, Christ gained direct understanding and appreciation of human feelings and predicament. He even humbled himself to submit himself to be baptised by John the Baptist, just to demonstrate the essence of that sacrament in wiping away the odium of original sin. And when the one-time human sacrifice had to be made to atone for the sins of mankind, he offered himself as a human being to undergo the painful sacrifice on behalf of the rest of us. A saint could not possibly suffer and die for a sinner in his saintly form. Thus, the significance of Christmas is that Christ humbled himself to be like one of us.

        The quintessence of the First Advent of Christ is the hope it offers for the redemption of mankind. After man had fallen out of favour with God by the capital sin of disobedience, humanity was left adrift heading helplessly to certain destruction. God, in His infinite mercy, sent his only Son to take on human form in a rescue mission for sinful humanity. The hope of salvation found fulfilment at Easter, and that hope is rekindled annually for all eternity. Without Christmas, there would be no Easter.  Eternal salvation is the reason for the two complementary seasons. The very first Christmas was the result of the creation of the Holy Family of Joseph, Mary, and Jesus, to serve as the paradigm for all families. Christmas created Holy Mary for us to share fraternal affiliation with Christ as both our Brother and Saviour.

        In all the Gospels, the prophecies about the coming of Jesus are accurately recounted. The Gospel of St Matthew (1:23) says: “Behold a virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son, and they shall call his name Emmanuel, which being interpreted is God with us.” Luke speaks of the encounter Mary had with Angel Gabriel who assured her that she would bring forth a son to be named Jesus (Luke 1:26-38).  The Gospel of St. John (1:14) speaks of the Word being made flesh, and dwelling among us, “begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth.”  There is no doubt that the greatest Good News of the New Testament Bible is the Incarnation of Christ.  Jesus had to be born first before he could perform all the recorded miracles, culminating in his death and Resurrection.

         The First Coming of Christ changed our entire perspective to life and living. The need to die to sin and be reborn as a new creature is rekindled in us, and we aspire to be true children of God. “Only when Christ is formed in us will the mystery of Christmas be fulfilled in us” (CCC, p.148). For, Christmas is, indeed, a confounding mystery which Mary and Joseph struggled to come to terms with. The couple came close to a parting of the ways because of the Immaculate Conception without any loss of virginity, the first and last of such in human history. “How shall this be, seeing I know not a man” (Luke 1:34), Mary pondered before the Angel who assured her that with God nothing is impossible (37). But Mary submitted in full faith to God’s message: “Behold the handmaid of the Lord; be it unto me according to thy word” (Luke 1:38). This faith, this capacity to believe without seeking for proof, is the very essence of Christmas.

        The Second Advent, the Second Coming of Christ on a date no one is aware of except God the Father, will not be a stealthy and discreet event like the First. It promises to be even more spectacular than the Ascension, with Christ appearing from the clouds, and swooping on a permissive and lackadaisical world to judge both the living and the dead. As stated in Matthew 24:36, even Jesus does not know the exact date of the end times, other than the certainty of the occurrence. “But of that day and hour knoweth no man; no, not the angels of heaven, but my Father only.” (See also Mark 13:32).  All the heavenly hosts are simply waiting for divine instructions to swing into action any moment. With the current turbulence and depravity of our world, signs that the Eschatology is fast approaching are everywhere in evidence.

However, while we await the dreaded Second Coming of Christ, let us make the most of his benevolent First Coming, and utilise every little delay to improve our lives, and be better prepared to face Christ in Final Judgement.