Advent Reflections - Week 1 - Marge Konkel

"Be Watchful! Be alert! You do not know when the time will come…"

Mk:13:33-37

We live in the information age. And often when I am in a group and someone mentions a person, an

event or maybe a place and a question comes up, quickly two or three phones whip out and we all get

an information burst on the subject at hand almost instantaneously.

In today’s Gospel, Jesus tells the Apostles and us that we will never know when the Lord is coming.

Google won’t have that answer and to speculate is a waste.

But it isn’t necessary that we know the timing of the second coming but rather how we prepare to

meet Our Lord that is important.

Jesus tells us how to spend our time and how to prepare for His coming during this Advent Season.

“Watch! Be Alert! He isn’t suggesting that we fear the second coming but rather that we prepare for

the Wonder to come. Advent should be a wakeup call and a time of expectation. Each day we are

called to be open to the graces God gives to each of us. We can’t be passive or complacent. We

should be watching for the presence of God in our world and surroundings. It is a time to pause and

see the face of Jesus in all of those people we meet each day and look for opportunities to share God’s

Grace. We should be watchful and alert to the sorrow, vulnerability and loneliness of those we meet.

It doesn’t always require “big stuff” from us, sometimes simple kindnesses can make someone’s day.

We need to live each day as though it doesn’t matter when the second coming happens. We need to

live preparing ourselves every day so when the Lord comes we are ready to meet our God face to face

with a smile and with joy.

Advent is a time of prayer and preparation. I will pray for the members of St Joan of Arc over the

next 4 weeks and hope that you will remember me and my family in your prayers during this time as

well.