Mk.13:33-37
Today we are entering into the season of Advent to prepare ourselves for the event of Christmas. It can happen to all of us that being absorbed by the routines of our day to day life, everything can be mechanical and even at times our own spiritual life. We may be confined to the role of passive observers in our moments of prayer than growing in our communion with the Lord. At the very outset of this season, the Holy Mother Church is inviting us, her children, for spiritual renewal. The gospel passage of the day invites us to work on our spiritual renewal by calling us to stay awake.
In the gospel, we come across different parables discussing the same theme of being alert and watchful. Normally, we stay awake when there is an emergent situation such as waiting for someone, our sickness, expecting the attack of enemies, etc. When we pass through such situations even though we may be taking rest, we will be very alert and even a small movement or sound sufficient enough to wake us up from sleep and get ready for the encounter. When Jesus asks us to stay awake, it is not merely physical keeping awake rather we have to be vigilant and alert in our journey of life. We cannot take for granted our Christian vocation to follow Jesus. It is a privilege and at the same time, it is a demanding choice. “From the one to whom much has been entrusted, even more, will be demanded.” (Lk. 12: 48) One who more will be demanded more.” The one who has not heard about the gospel of Jesus may be less culpable than the person who received the baptism, knew the Spirit of the gospel, yet unwilling to live a life based on gospel values.
We are exhorted to stay awake spiritually by being in communion with God. Every day of our life is an added gift to grow in this communion with our Creator. We need to develop this God-consciousness that awakes us to the presence of God within and around us. The life of every saint is an excellent example of this notion of staying awake. They lived a life of constant union with God. St. Theresa of Child Jesus says: “For me, prayer is an aspiration of the heart, it is a simple glance directed to heaven, it is a cry of gratitude and love in the midst of trial as well as joy; finally it is something great, supernatural, which expands my soul and unites me to Jesus.” When our being is filled with the ‘God-consciousness,’ automatically our actions would testify to the fruitfulness of living in the presence of God. Saints were defined as constant union with God. They are persons who kept awake with the Lord spiritually. Therefore, they were ever ready to encounter God at any time of their life. As we begin this season of advent, let us surrender our lives to the Spirit of God and seek his assistance to renew our spiritual journey that we may be strengthened with the necessary graces to keep awake and prepare ourselves for the day of the Lord. I would like to conclude this reflection with a small story…
There was this little boy called Daniel. He had a father and mother. Unfortunately, their life became a great struggle due to the extreme poverty that they were undergoing. Daniel’s father decided to go to a foreign country to find a job, to settle these issues. They were quite hopeful of this option. A few days later, Daniel’s mother got the news from her husband telling her that he had an accident over there, was admitted to the hospital, and recuperating from injuries. They were shattered and lost all their hope. It was the Christmas season. Their local church organized a Christmas carol night. Sadly, Daniel’s mother was not in a mental state to participate in this programme.
Nevertheless, Daniel did not want to miss the carol eve and got permission from his mother to attend the Carol eve along with his neigbour. When he went for the programme, he carried along with him his only playtoy, a damaged truck that he got as a gift during his last Christmas. At the end of the programme organizers encouraged the crowd to make an offering for the baby Jesus to conduct charity programmes. When Daniel’s turn came, he had nothing but the old damaged, only playtoy. Thinking that the boy Jesus would be happy to receive his play toy, he offered it as an offering. In the end, when the deacons came together to count the money. They were surprised to see the play toy in the offering box and wondered that who had done this sacrilege? The deacon who received this gift from Daniel knew his family and explained his family background to others. Anyhow, he was not ready to throw away the precious gift of Daniel to baby Jesus. He wrote about the sacrificial gift of Daniel and kept the old, damaged truck on eBay for sale. After having read the story of Daniel’s offering, one rich man came forward and bought the damaged truck for one thousand dollars. Thus Daniel’s little offering became the precious offering of Christmas Eve… Let us stay awake and prepare well to offer ourselves as a gift to child Jesus…