The Catholic Church has always favoured hymns more than choruses because, hymns have been sifted through for correctness, appropriateness and rich messages that appeal not only to man’s emotion but also to his spirit and the needs of his soul. The Advent hymn, Christ, Come quickly is an example of a rich hymn from our Catholic tradition. The hymn was written by Sr. Miriam Therese Winter and first published in 1966 by the Medical Mission Sisters. This hymn seems to be composed for Nigeria at this time and when we remember the troubled parts of the world, we see its appropriateness for our time.

We beckon on Christ to come quickly because there is danger at the door. This is a graphic description of our situation and the need for immediate remedy. Our worldly messiahs have disappointed us, no wonder poverty is plenty, there is no place where T-Pain is not the reality. “There’s hunger in the city and famine on the plain”. The take home of many is not even enough to take them home much less put food on their tables. “Wants demands a hearing in far too many land”. Yes, in Ibadan as well as in Sokoto, in Agbor as well as in Eket and Ekiti, in Kafanchan as well as in Ikorodu, in Aguleri as well as in Offa town. It would appear as if the ears of our leaders are blocked and are unable to hear the cries in the land or see the agony of the masses. Life is hard and hope has taken flight. So, what do we get: “the sick go unattended, death deals a heavy hand.” Yes, this is the situation in the beautiful earth God created and gave us for our delight. The poor are helpless and hopeless, the masses are hungry and angry, criminals are desperate and dangerous, and the politicians are clueless and careless. Hence, “the dreams of men are empty, their cup of sorrow full.” Even when they ‘Japa’, life is still hard, and the future is unsure. The only cry on our lips is “Christ, come quickly, there’s danger at the door!”

Here, unlike the prophecy of old, the people who live in darkness are yet to behold light, they are left in the shadow of death and meaninglessness. Promises have turned into dashed hopes, life has become drudgery and pain and anguish our common inheritance. Truly, “the world awaits in darkness”, but this darkness we must not allow to dominate us. When will the burst of light come? When will the world experience a new creation and new life? When will Jesus come to transform the world that he died for?  Promise delayed is becoming promise denied. As in the days of old, we have the prophet’s promise, but we are not sure what or who to wait for. There can be only one cry on our lips: “Christ, come quickly, there’s danger at the door.”

But Christ will not come unless we rise from our ash heap of despair and chart a new course for ourselves. Far too many people are waiting for better life yet unwilling to work for it. Far too many people pray for better life and are unwilling to let go of the things that have held them bound to pain and deprivations. Advent calls us to live in expectation of the Mesiah, but it is not a call to idleness. If we truly yearn for a better life, then we will be inspired to do something to acquire it. Expectation does not equal idleness. Our yearning can only be kept alive by purposeful living. This will require us to trim out of our life the nonessentials, the extra baggage that slows us down in our journey through life and the garbage we have accumulated over time that we now consider treasure but are filth to be discarded. “Christ, come quickly, there is danger at the door” is not the cry of the fainthearted, but the cry of the determined. It is a cry for action that we are willing to embrace and act upon. It must be a cry from the depth of our heart, uttered with all our strength to the one who has the ability to hear and do as only He can do.

Advent is a time for action – Advent is our time of incubation to enjoy the arrival of Christ in his world at Christmas. The seed planted in the earth grows daily, but on the surface, nothing is seen, but the farmer waits not in vain, the plant is watered, the Sun bakes the earth, and the heat breaks open the seed, and new life begins its journey upward. So, it must be for us during Advent. While we expect our Saviour to come and save us, let us clear out the sins that enslave us, and grow the virtues that shines brightly. Then we can cry, Christ, come quickly, and He will hear us and not delay His arrival.