There is a real sense of urgency in the gospel today. The expression "Stay awake" is dominant. Why do we need to stay awake? I think the key is found in our Second Reading where St Paul writes: "... so that you are not lacking in any spiritual gift as you wait for the revealing of our Lord Jesus Christ.." (1 Cor 1: 7) The deployment of our spiritual gifts is incumbent on us as we wait for the Lord to return. To lapse into a state of negativity or passivity would be to "fall asleep." The parables that we have just heard as we concluded year A of the Lectionary, from the Gospel of Matthew, all warned against complacency and entitlement. If we have our spiritual life numbed by the commercialism of pagan Christmas, likewise, we will have fallen asleep to our obligations as missionary disciples. Let us, therefore, look to make the most of the Advent season both to prepare ourselves for the Second Coming of the Lord and to celebrate his birth in time as Emmanuel - God with us. After all, we do not journey on our own. St Paul reminds us: "He (God the Father) will also strengthen you to the end, so that you may be blameless on the day of our Lord Jesus Christ. God is faithful; by him you were called into fellowship with his Son, Jesus Christ our Lord." (1 Cor 1: 8-9)
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