[1]Reading
for Inspection, Sir! As a platoon
commander, I’ve called this instruction out numerous times to my company
commander. Unfortunately, I often knew
some of my platoon members were not ready at all. I learned over time there are three basic
types of platoon members. Those who were
not ready for inspection, any inspection, as their interests were more on
liberty or some other distraction. There
were the ones ready for inspection, but the platoon ended up waiting for them
as they had to run back to the barracks to change out of their inspection
uniform, into their work uniform. Then
there were the members who properly cared for all their uniforms, who would not
just be ready for inspection every morning, they were ready to immediately go
to work, without fuss.
Each
year we enter a new liturgical year, Advent, and I would venture a guess, for most
of us here, this is not our first Advent season. We have the routine down, right? But I would suggest there are three basic
groups of people when it comes to this short season of the Church year.
The
Not Ready. These folks tend
to get swept away by the distractions of Christmas preparations, unaware of the
gift of the Advent season. They’ve got
to shop for the perfect gifts, they’ve got to decorate,
they’ve got to shop, mail the Christmas cards, shop, prepare to entertain, they’ve
got to shop. Oh, then there’s the events
at school, work, church, their spouse’s company party. Sometimes even the good things of the world
can draw us away from God as we’re tantalized by their very goodness, but when
loved out of order, leads to desire the creations instead of the Creator.
The
Seemingly Ready.
These folks seem to have the spirit of the season all together. They’re full of joy as you greet them. They can even bring joy to the chaos of Black
Friday shopping. Yet, when they’re home
and alone, they’re joyful mask is removed as they grieve a broken family
relationship, separation from a loved one serving overseas, or experiencing their
first holiday season alone because of the death of a spouse or family member. They want to be transformed by the season,
alas the best they can muster is putting on their best seasonal mask to
disguise their sorrow and pain.
The
Always Ready, “Puts on the Lord
Jesus Christ.” (Rom 13:14)
Like putting on a new set of clothes they allow Christ to embrace them totally
and transform the very essence of their being.
They tend to embrace Advent as a time to seek a deeper relationship with
the Christ who is to come. They manage a
balanced life of seasonal and spiritual preparation.
How
can we be found always ready? Isaiah tells
us to do just what we are doing now; go “to the house of the God
of Jacob, that he may instruct us in his ways,”
(Is
2:3)
this is a place we can be wrapped in His forgiveness, instructed by His Word, and
feed by Eucharist. Paul says to “awake from sleep, then throw off the works of darkness”;
drunkenness, sexual impropriety, and community discord. All of these are works of the flesh, whereas
Christians are to live according to the Spirit.
Jesus tells us to be watchful and alert. Don’t be like people of Noah’s time, caught
unaware by the flood and swept away.
Today’s
scriptures share a vision of the world as a place where God is active. It’s a dangerous world, but one in which
safety can be found by those who open themselves to God’s grace. Christ came among us to satisfy the deepest
longings of the human heart. One of
those longings is for peace—peace among nations, peace in our families and
neighborhoods, peace within our very selves.
Peace
and justice begin in our own hearts, our own lives. Hatred, violence, and fear dominate the
headlines, but we don’t have to be overwhelmed by them. We can refuse to hate. We can refuse to support violence. We can refuse to give up hope. These days, that’s a big order. But in our efforts to widen the circle of
goodness, God has made a big investment.
He sent his only-begotten Son to be with us and to save us.[2]
Consider
our Baptism, where we were washed clean by water, given a candle, a light to be
kept burning brightly, and a white garment to bring unstained to greet our Lord
when he returns. Let our Advent wreath
be a reminder to put on the armor of Light and let this be a season where we
look to our future, while living in the present, always walking in the light of
the Lord, prepared to approach Him: Ready for inspection.
[1] New American Bible, Saint Joseph Edition ©
1986. Scriptures: Isaiah 2:1-5; Romans 13:11-14; Matthew 24:37-44
[2] Sundays with Jesus, by James DiGiacomo, SJ © 2007. Paulist Press, Mahwah, NJ.
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