Stay Awake

27-11-2016. FIRST SUNDAY OF ADVENT (A)

SCRIPTURAL READING:

Is. 2:1-5
Ps 122:1-2.4-5.6-7.8-9 (R.1)
2 Rom 13:11-14a, Accl; Ps. 85:8.
Gospel Mt. 24:37-44

Preamble:

Dear friends please repeat these words after me;
Thank you Jesus for your word which I will receive at this hour,
Please Lord, make my heart a fertile soil for the reception of your word today
Holy Spirit, rekindle in me the fire of your love and may God’s word bear fruit in my life. Amen.

TOPIC: STAY AWAKE

The message of today’s liturgy as we celebrate the first Sunday of Advent is “stay awake”. This means remain alive, to be vigilant, active, conscious, aware of the need to grow spiritually minded, to be spiritually and physically attentive to the malicious tricks of the devil. It means been aware and standing ready for the Lord’s return which will come at a time we do not expect so it is necessary to stay away from things that will keep us from been acceptable in the eyes of the Lord.

This is what the second reading of today points our attention to; the need to stay away from actions of darkness and put on the clothe of righteousness waiting for the master’s return.
Been awake means watching to ensure you remain dutiful and responsible in the assignments given. It means watching your attitude and behaviour to ensure that they are pleasing to the Lord. It means watching to ensure you are part of those who will go with the Lord when he returns.

The actual day and hour that Christ will return is truly unknown but we must actually stay ready, to be aware. Awareness is like living with a snake in the room; you watch its every movement, you are very, very sensitive to the slightest sound it makes. Such a state of attention is total energy; in such awareness the totality if yourself is revealed in an instant.

J. Maurus in his book living moments of awareness tells us that life is too short and precious a gift of God that we need give all our heed or pay all our attention to it.  Everything calls for our attention. If we are wise, intelligent, awake and efficient, we pay and must pay attention to everything.

We pay attention to something not only to avoid stumbling blocks in life or risky actions but also to listen without distraction, to work with responsibility, to put all our efforts to the task at hand, to tap all our inner energies.

Attention, heed, care, watch, awareness, vigilance are noble words. They awake in us energies and certainly lead us to success in life. Attention is not the attitude of a moment, but is a method of perseverance, to steadfast application of your mind, will and sentiments.

Proverbs 2, 9-12 says, if you are attentive, you will know what is right, just and fair. You will become wise, and your knowledge will give you pleasure. Your insight and understanding will protect you and prevent you from doing the wrong thing.

Psalm 105, 1-4 says give thanks to the Lord, proclaim his greatness; tell the nations what he has done. Sing praise to the Lord; tell of the wonderful things he has done. Be glad that we belong to him; let all who worship him rejoice. Go to the Lord for help; and worship him continually.

Been awake or paying attention means giving primary place to:
To your spiritual growth, to understand, cooperate with and follow the will of God for you, to be faithful to the duties the lord has called you to by using your gifts to serve the Lord, To be attentive to your family, To your parents, To your brothers and sisters, To your teachers, To your companions, To your friends, To your neighbours, To love and esteem yourself, To know yourself, to stretch yourself onward, to be yourself, to be attentive your body, to your feelings, to your time, to your studies, to your work, to care for everyone. In these contains the duties and expectations of every Christian man/woman.

The coming of Christ will be shocking to all. It will be in the middle of activities, such that men and women will be living sensual lives-eating, drinking, marrying, divorcing, and remarrying time after time. The Christian man/woman will also be engaged in his or her own daily activity like study of the word of God, praying, reflecting/meditating, going for confession, adoration of the Blessed Sacrament as well as attending mass when the Lord will actually come. It will be a shocking experience.

The only reward which the Christian man or woman will have at this time is to remain steadfast in the good things he/she has been doing and these entails staying awake, alert, conscious, and eternally vigilant. This keeping awake is not by preventing yourself from sleeping it means exercising a perfect self-control, self-restraint, and moderation of your habits, attitudes, behaviours, words, and actions (keeping watch of your hands, exercising control over your tongue to prevent it from lies, deception, vulgar languages, boastful, resentful, demeaning, etc) in such a manner that you modify it for the lord’s return. This is possible by a proper examination of conscience and making perfect contrition for the wrongs you have done.

As we prepare ourselves to celebrate the Nativity of the Lord, let us prepare ourselves inwardly to receive him. Let us prepare ourselves to receive him prayerfully, with Godly attitude so that in the end our joy may be full and complete in the Lord when we are truly united with him.

I shared with us on Wednesday 17 ways we can help ourselves in moments of crisis and it will also help us to be vigilant and aware.

They include:

1. Been fervent in prayers.
2. Practice daily meditation e.g. meditating upon the words of Christ, the teachings of the church, the life of saints etc.
3. Spiritual reading e.g. inspirational/motivating books, the life of saints, the teachings of the church etc.
4. Never leave the fellowship of fellow Christians.
5. Attend mass regularly and participate very well at mass.
6. Go for counselling.
7. Have a confessor/spiritual director.
8. Eat well.
9. Sleep on time to rest the head.
10. Avoid unhealthy conversations.
11. See movies that will edify you.
12. Stay around positive minded people.
13. Have short slips of encouraging words and prayers to be said quietly and meditatively as you go about your daily activities e.g. Lord Jesus help me to remain faithful to the end. Lord please give me the grace to do your will today, or lord I present all my frustrations and challenges to you that you may handle it, help me talk, and act as you will have me do, or the Lord is my strength and my shield whom shall I fear. The lord will guide and direct my course of action this day etc.
14. Cultivate the habit of silence and the ability of listening to the lord who speaks to you in the silent recesses of your heart.
15. Make up your mind to follow the instructions and directions of the Lord. It requires training the mind, the will not to argue, or been stubborn but to follow the Lord and you can do that by been silent, and cultivating stillness of the mind. It helps you make the decision to follow the Lord.
16. Offer everything about you, your trials, persecution, challenges, frustrations, anxieties, and weaknesses to God.
17. Reaffirm yourself daily with the word of the Lord.

Prayer:
Keep me, O Lord, from every evil word, from every worry, fear, idleness, hasty temper, useless complaint and falsehood. Make my heart pure and my lips clean. Give me to share your joys and let my words and deeds be full of courage and good cheer, lest I should bear false witness to your loving care. Give me strength sufficient for this day’s duties and enough besides to keep me kind and stand ready for your return this I ask through Christ our Lord.