將臨期第一主日
Fr. Michael Agliardo, S.J.
當我們進入將臨期，讀經談到等待、警醒和歡迎。
讀經一取自依撒意亞先知書。這是他代表人民向天主祈禱。依撒意亞先知意識到以色列人在做自己的事情時不顧及天主，也不顧及遵守天主命令的義務。這個地方沒有正義，而只是壓迫和苦難。
依撒意亞先知知道國家的福祉和安全依賴與天主的關係。
在這個祈禱，我們聽到人民的心是鐵石心腸、冰冷的。然而他們也承認自己需要天主。他們意識到自己如此冷漠地突顯了他們對天主的需要。
先知祈禱：「上主！袮為什麼讓我們離開袮的道路，使我們那麼頑固而不敬畏袮呢？為了袮的僕人，為了屬於袮的各支派，求袮回心轉意！」
即使他們做了看似好的事情，也只是表面的。他們這樣做是為了利益或在別人看來是正義的：
先知說：「我們的一切善行都好似髒污的衣服，又好似乾枯了的樹葉子；我們的罪好似狂風一般地將我們捲去。」
情況確實很壞。儘管被自己的罪惡感壓垮，但似乎能夠敞開心扉向天主求助。
先知繼續說「沒有人呼求袮的名字，沒有人起來投奔袮，因為袮掩面不顧我們，將我們遺棄在我們罪惡的權下。」
他們缺乏力量和純潔的心靈，甚至無法接觸天主。這顯示他們多麼需要天主。
所以，先知祈禱：
「上主啊！願袮把天衝破親自降臨，高山在袮面前就會融化。袮從前曾經降臨，使山嶺在袮面前融化。這是人從未想到的。」
依撒意亞先知在基督七百年之前出生。與耶穌時代的人們相比，他的人民也算古老。但是他們的困境與我們的困境非常相似。
即使在今天，我們仍然堅持自己的方式做事。我們知道生活中需要天主。
但是，我們有其他的優先事情，因此我們甚至忽略了向天主求助。儘管如此，今天我們還是來到了聖堂這裡。天主給了我們這個將臨期，成為一個伸出援手的機會。
所以，當我們祈禱時，我們回應先知的呼叫：
「上主啊！願袮把天衝破親自降臨！」
讀經二是聖保祿寫給他在格林多的門徒的。他首先談到了他對教會成員的深愛。他也知道他們需要毅力。
許多人以極大的熱情接受了基督的信息。但是，他們並不準備長期這樣生活。聖保祿提醒他們，成為耶穌的門徒，無論順境或逆境，都是一樣生活。
他也提醒他們，我們不能依靠自己的力量。相反，我們依靠天主對我們的愛和對我們的承諾。
天主的愛和信實，而不是我們人性的軟弱，才是我們希望的基礎。
聖保祿提醒大家：「天主必要堅強你們到底，使你們在我們的主耶穌基督再度來臨的日子，無瑕可指。天主是信實的，因為你們原是蒙祂召喚，為了和祂的聖子、我們的主耶穌基督，合而為一。」
聖保祿祈禱他的跟隨者在等待耶穌在末日再來時保持堅強。當我們準備在聖誕節慶祝主耶穌的第一次降臨時，這個提醒也適合我們。
讓我們依靠天主對我們每個人的愛，為祂的到來做好準備。
最後，我們在福音中聽到了主耶穌自己的說話。主耶穌告訴我們要警醒，因為我們不知道那一天或那一刻。
等一等， 我們的確是警醒！是 12 月 25 日，對吧？
是的，我們在 12 月 25 日慶祝聖誕節。
但是，這並不表示我們在其他日子忽視天主！
天主什麼時候向我們伸出援手？
我們什麼時候有機會回應天主的呼召呢？
我們警惕嗎？ 我們關注這些機會嗎？
或者我們在購買聖誕裝飾品時是否忽略了幫助有需要的人？
當我們安排與朋友派對時，我們是否忽視了病人和窮人？
那麼教會呢？
我們是否將教會視為一個需要我們支持的家庭？
還是我們只是抱著履行義務的態度來的？
我們如何建立基督徒家庭並互相支持成為一個快樂的團體？
有很多機會迎接主人。正如耶穌告訴我們的那樣：
「所以，你們要警醒，因為你們不知道，主人甚麼時候回來：或許傍晚，或許夜半，或許雞叫時，或許天亮時；免得祂突然來到，發現你們正在睡覺。」
在這個將臨期，讓我們真正地接觸天主，讓祂打開我們的心。
讓我們為主耶穌的再來做好準備。當他到來時，讓我們歡迎祂，無論是聖誕節還是每一天！
Homily - Sunday of 1st Week of Advent (Year B)
Isaiah 63:16B-17, 19B; 64:2-7 * Psalm 80 * 1 Corinthians 1:3-9 * Mark 13:33-37
Fr. Michael Agliardo, S.J.
As we set out on our Advent journey, our readings speak of waiting, watching, and welcoming.
Our first reading is taken from the book of the prophet Isaiah.
It is his prayer to God on behalf of the people.
Isaiah was aware that the people of Israel were going about their business without regard for God or their obligation to be a people who observe his commands.
Instead of justice, oppression and hardship were found in the land.
Isaiah knew that the wellbeing and security of the nation depended on its relationship with God.
In this prayer, we hear that people’s hearts are stony and cold.
Yet they also acknowledge their need for God.
In a sense, they realize that they can be so indifferent underscores their need for God.
“Why do you let us wander, O Lord, from your ways,
and harden our hearts so that we fear you not?
Return for the sake of your servants,
the tribes of your heritage.”
Even when they do what seems to be good, it is only superficial.
They do it for the benefit or to seem righteous to others:
“All our good deeds are like polluted rags;
we have all withered like leaves,
and our guilt carries us away like the wind.”
The situation is very bad indeed.
Despite being overwhelmed by their own guilt, seem able to open their heart to reach out to God:
“There is none who calls upon your name,
who rouses himself to cling to you;
for you have hidden your face from us
and have delivered us up to our guilt.”
They lack the strength and the pureness of heart to even reach out to God.
That shows how much they need God.
For this reason, the prophet prays:
“Oh, that you would rend the heavens and come down,
with the mountains quaking before you,
while you wrought awesome deeds we could not hope for,
such as they had not heard of from of old.”
Isaiah lived seven hundred years before Christ.
His people were ancient even compared to the people of Jesus’s day.
Yet their dilemma is very much like our own.
Even today, we go about our business, stuck in our ways.
We know that we need God in our lives.
However, we have other priorities, and so we neglect even to reach out to God.
Nonetheless, we are here on this day.
God has given us this season of Advent as an opportunity to reach out.
And so we echo the voice of the prophet as we pray:
“Oh, that you would rend the heavens and come down to us, Oh Lord!”
Our second reading was written by Saint Paul to his disciples in Corinth.
He begins by speaking of his great love for the members of his Christian community.
He also knows that they need perseverance.
Many took up the Christian message with great enthusiasm.
However, they were not prepared to live that way in the long term.
He reminds them that being a disciple of Jesus is a way of life during both the good times and the bad.
He also reminds them that we do not rely on our own strength.
Instead, we rely on the Gods love for us and commitment to us.
God’s love and faithfulness, not our own weakness, is the basis for our hope.
“[God] will keep you firm to the end,
irreproachable on the day of our Lord Jesus Christ.
God is faithful,
and by him you were called to fellowship with his Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.”
Saint Paul prays that his followers will remain strong as they await the second coming of Jesus at the end of time.
As we prepare to celebrate the first coming of Jesus at Christmas, this reminder is also appropriate for us.
Let us rely on God’s love for each of us as we prepare our hearts for his coming.
Finally, we hear the words of Jesus himself in the Gospel.
Jesus tells us to be watchful, because we do not know the day or the hour.
But wait. We do!
It is December 25, right?
Yes, we celebrate Christmas on December 25.
However, that does not mean that we are to ignore God on the other days of our life!
When does God reach out to us?
When do we have opportunities to respond to God’s call?
Are we watchful? Do we pay attention to these opportunities?
Or do we ignore the invitation to help those in need while we buy our Christmas decorations?
Do we neglect the sick and the poor while we arrange for parties with our friends?
And what about the Church?
Do we see the Church as a family that we need to support?
Or do we just come and with the attitude that we are fulfilling an obligation?
How can we build up the Christian family and support one another as a joyful community?
There are many opportunities to welcome the master of the house.
As Jesus tells us,
“Watch, therefore;
you do not know when the lord of the house is coming,
whether in the evening, or at midnight,
or at cockcrow, or in the morning.
May he not come suddenly and find you sleeping!”
During this Advent season, let us truly reach out to God so that he may open our hearts.
Let us prepare our hearts for coming the coming of Jesus.
And let us welcome Him when he arrives, both on Christmas and each day!
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