First Sunday of Advent

This is the season of final exams. Not only at Seattle University, where I teach, but also at the other “SU,” Satanic University, where young demons are facing their teachers for the final examination.  In one class, Temptations 101, Professor Screwtape had three students.  The first, Anthracite by name, was the least intelligent of the group.  The professor asked him just one question:  “What is your best temptation? What would you say to a soul, to draw a person away from living a good life? “

The student thought he had a perfect answer.  “I would say, ‘There is no hell. There is no punishment.  Do whatever you want.’”  The professor sighed, and gave him a C. 

Bitumen, the second student, sat down, and was asked the same question:  “Give me your best temptation.”   “I would say, ‘There is no heaven, no reward.  No reason to be virtuous.’”  “Better answer” the infernal professor said, and gave him a B.

The last, smartest of the students was Feldspar, and he was given the same question.  “Ah, professor, I know the answer.  I would simply say, ‘There is no rush, no hurry.’”  The demonic professor smiled, and gave him an A.

The readings today on this first Sunday of Advent tell us a different tale: they tell us to stay awake, to be attentive, to be ready for the Lord when he comes. They tell us to hasten to greet him and to serve him.

In this season of Advent, we celebrate three comings of Christ.  For four weeks we prepare ourselves to celebrate the first coming of the Lord Jesus among us, in the poverty and simplicity of the stable at Bethlehem. We adore him in his vulnerability, and rejoice when we remember his coming.

In the weeks just past, at the end of our liturgical year, we were invited to look forward to the Lord’s coming again. We heard strange and sometimes frightening readings about the end of time. We heard about the coming of the Lord in his glory, when at last he will judge all things.  Last week we heard St. Matthew’s description of the questions the Lord will put to us in our final examination:  When I was hungry, did you feed me?  When I was thirsty, did you give me something to drink? When I was naked did you clothe me? When I was lonely did you visit me?  Questions much more difficult than those the infernal professor gave to his students…

Those questions remind us of the great mystery of the ongoing incarnation of Christ, here and now.  They remind us to look for him every day, not only in church, or at this altar where he is present in a most wonderful way for us.  If we want to see his face, we also have only to look upon those in any kind of need, and we will recognize him.  In the sick and suffering, in the troubled and the lonely, in the poor and the old and the homeless, there Christ is present among us, waiting for us to see to his needs, to care for him. 

The young demon said “There is no rush”.  Our faith tells us “Hurry up! Open your eyes and hearts. Recognize him, and hasten to hurry to help him in his need.”  We need not look far.

Make haste to welcome him, and to serve him in this season of his coming.

Make haste, make haste.  

Thomas M. Lucas, SJ