Seminarian Reflection
A Reflection on Luke 21:25-28, 34-36

1st Sunday of Advent

Whenever Advent comes, the Church invites us to prepare our hearts to welcome Our Lord Jesus Christ. Advent not only prepares for the birth of Jesus Christ at Christmas, but also for the Second Coming of Christ  on the day of judgment. Advent is also an occasion to remind us to prepare our souls to welcome Jesus Christ every day in the Eucharist. In this Sunday’s Gospel, therefore, Jesus invites us “Be VIGILANT at all times and PRAY that you have the strength to escape the tribulations that are imminent and to stand before the Son of Man.”

The Catechism of the Church teaches that Jesus always relates vigilance “to himself, to his coming on the last day and every day: today” (CCC 2730). Be vigilant like the faithful servants who await their master’s return from a wedding without knowing when he will return (Luke 12:36). Their attitude of vigilance is to always be ready to gird their loins and light their lamps, so that when the master returns, they can open the door and serve him attentively. Thus, vigilance goes hand in hand with readiness and agility; especially, do not let our hearts “become drowsy from carousing and drunkenness and the anxieties of daily life.” Be vigilant from “carousing and drunkenness,” meaning don’t become too infatuated with the passions and pleasures of this life. Be vigilant from “the anxieties of daily life,” meaning don’t become too infatuated with fame, profit, and pleasure. Be vigilant to “wait for the master to return” is an invitation that invites us to wait for the Lord to come in glory on the return of Christ and the Final Judgment.

Along with vigilance is prayer. When we pray, we separate ourselves from the constraints of the material world to reach the spiritual world. However, praying is not easy because we may face temptations such as “lack of faith” and “acedia - a lack of care.” Regarding acedia, the spiritual writers recognize that it is “a form of depression due to lax ascetical practice, decreasing vigilance, carelessness of heart” (CCC 2733). Therefore, we need to ask God for God's help, so that we can escape the confinement of matter and lift our souls to Him.

Reflecting on this Sunday's Gospel, we should ask God to help us to be vigilant every hour and every minute in our lives. We then ask Him to help us to be vigilant to overcome the temptations of fame, profit, and base passions, so that we can be worthy of His servants who always hold the lamp to lead our brothers and sisters in the truth and grace of God.

     Yours in Christ, Vinh Nguyen