Gospel
Jerusalem Bible © 1966 by Darton, Longman & Todd Ltd and Doubleday & Company Inc.
Jesus said to his disciples: ‘There will be signs in the sun and moon and stars; on earth nations in agony, bewildered by the clamour of the ocean and its waves; men dying of fear as they await what menaces the world, for the powers of heaven will be shaken. And then they will see the Son of Man coming in a cloud with power and great glory. When these things begin to take place, stand erect, hold your heads high, because your liberation is near at hand.'
‘Watch yourselves, or your hearts will be coarsened with debauchery and drunkenness and the cares of life, and that day will be sprung on you suddenly, like a trap. For it will come down on every living man on the face of the earth. Stay awake, praying at all times for the strength to survive all that is going to happen, and to stand with confidence before the Son of Man.’
(Luke 21:25–28, 34–36)
Did you know?
Points of interest and Catholic lore
- Advent is the beginning of the Church’s liturgical year.
- The Advent period is concerned with ‘waiting’ for the coming of the Christ child.
- A recurring theme in the gospels read during Advent is looking towards the end times, when Christ will come again.
- Today begins the cycle of readings for Year C in the Lectionary. This means that most of the gospel readings are taken from the Gospel of Luke.
- The Advent wreath is one way of preparing for the coming of the Christ child. The circle of greenery symbolises God’s love, which is without beginning or end, while the candles represent the four weeks of preparation time. One candle is lit each Sunday during Advent, and the final, central candle is lit on Christmas Day.
Exploring the Word
The Gospel of Luke is written for a Gentile church community who is living in an 'in-between’ time. The early Christians believed that the second coming of Christ was imminent—that Jesus would return soon as the Lord of Glory. As time passed, they had to rethink this belief. In this text, Luke addresses a community who can contemplate the history of Jesus and the Church while also looking forward to his future coming as the Son of Man. The text focuses on how Christians should live in this ‘in-between' time. They must be attentive to the Gospel and live in readiness to meet their God. They must not be distracted by the cares and snares of the world, but instead be ready to stand confidently before the Son of Man.
- What things in your life distract you from the Gospel?
- What are some strategies that help you stay attentive to the important things in life?
Making connections
Opportunities for group discussion and personal prayer
- In your life, what experiences or events have been ‘sprung on you suddenly’? How did you deal with such surprises?
- What does it mean to ‘stand with confidence before the Son of Man’?
- Share with each other some of your hopes and fears for the future. Have you set particular goals for yourself? How are you preparing for the future? What would you like the future to hold for you? Do you see it as a time of uncertainty, or are you confidently looking forward to it?
- This week, be attentive to the time you spend waiting—in traffic, on the phone, to cross the road, for the kettle to boil. Use these small moments of waiting to focus on, and prepare yourself for, the coming of Christ at Christmas.
- Repeat the Gospel acclamation often this week:
Lord, show us your mercy and love,
and grant us your salvation.
Sharing the tradition
A closer look at the Scripture of the day, to see how it makes more explicit God's word to us through the teachings of Jesus Christ
The celebration of a feast to honour the birth of Jesus did not emerge in the West until the fourth century. Scholars generally note that by AD 336, such a feast was established and celebrated in Rome on 25 December. This comparatively late development of a feast to celebrate the birth of Christ may seem surprising to contemporary Christians, for whom Christmas is so central. However, we must remember that the early Christians expected the glorious return of Christ in their own lifetimes. It was only with time and an obvious delay to the Second Coming that such a feast could emerge. Furthermore, time provided the opportunity for a greater and more mature theological reflection on the mysteries of the incarnation and Second Coming.
Advent, as a period of preparation for the feast of Christmas, developed even later in history. Evidence of such a preparatory time in Rome did not exist until well into the sixth century. It was Pope Gregory the Great (AD 590–604) who established a four-week liturgical preparation for Christmas; however, the eschatological (end-times) themes of the Second Coming were not established until the Middle Ages.
- You could discuss the liturgical symbols and colours of Advent, as well as how Christians can use this time of waiting to prepare for the coming of Christ at Christmas.
Symbols and images
The end-times imagery that Luke uses in this text was common in Jewish apocalyptic literature of the time. For Christians, looking forward to the final coming of Christ as the Lord of all history and all creation is an action filled with hope, because their ‘liberation is near at hand’.
Living the Word
Practical ideas for group leaders to employ in connecting Scripture and daily life, with suggestions for music and environment
- Invite candidates and catechumens to make their own Advent wreath to use in their homes during the Advent period.
- Use an Advent wreath as a focus for prayer during this season. Pray for each other as you prepare to welcome Jesus into your lives. You could use or adapt the candle-lighting ritual in Gather Australia (GA 272). There are also several Advent songs you could use (GA 277–285). Conclude with the prayer of exorcism in the RCIA at §94E.