3rd Sunday of Advent A - Dec. 14, 2025

 

3^rd Sunday of Advent A - Dec. 14, 2025

Isaiah 35:1-6a, 10; James 5:7-10; Matthew 11:2-11

 

Theme: How to Wait for Christ Even Amid Our Daily Suffering

A. A Brief Exegetical Analysis of Matthew 11:2-11

 

1.      Historical and Literary Contexts

Our Gospel passage begins the narrative section of the third book, which discusses the growing opposition to Jesus in Israel related to faith and discipleship (11:1–12:50). Previously, in the second discourse (10:1–11:1), Matthew focused on the mission the disciples undertook. Then, in our Gospel story, he specifically aims to answer this question: If Jesus has inaugurated the kingdom of heaven (primarily the kingdom of justice), why did he not reveal this kingdom to his cousin, John the Baptist, who is unjustly imprisoned? Throughout chapter 11, Jesus explains that the kingdom of heaven he established is the kingdom of freeing people from spiritual imprisonment by sin.

 

2.      Form, Structure, and Movement

This Gospel text is a narrative structured into two parts. The first part details Jesus’ response to John the Baptist’s inquiry, carried by his messengers (vv. 2-6). The second part presents Jesus’ testimony to John the Baptist (vv. 7-11).  

 

3.      Detailed Analysis

Vv. 2-6. From the prison where he is unjustly held, John the Baptist learns about the works of the Messiah, his cousin Jesus. He sends his messengers to ask Jesus if he is truly “the one who is to come, or should we look for another?” (v. 3). John the Baptist’s question seems strange because he is the one who prepared the people for the start of Jesus’ public ministry. He even recognized Jesus when he baptized him (see Mt 3:13-14) and acknowledged that Jesus was mightier than he was and that he was not worthy to untie Jesus’ sandals (see Mt 3:11-12). If he already knew his cousin Jesus, then why does he ask this question?

John the Baptist’s question relates to his suffering in prison, which tests his faith. It is clear he met Jesus and had an experience with him before, during happier times. Now, this is the first time he has encountered Jesus while suffering. Through his question, he likely means, “If Jesus is the Messiah, who brings good news to the afflicted, proclaims liberty to captives, and releases prisoners as Isaiah predicted (see Is 61:1), why does he not use some of his power to get me out of this prison?”

In his response, Jesus quotes the prophet Isaiah to demonstrate that he is truly the Messiah: “The blind regain their sight, the lame walk, lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the poor have the good news proclaimed to them.” (V. 5) (see Is. 35:5-6; also Is. 26:19; 29:18-19; 61:1). In its literal sense, Jesus is the Messiah because the deeds he has performed fulfill the salvation Isaiah prophesied. In its spiritual sense, Jesus enables those whom the devil has spiritually imprisoned. Additionally, the final part of Jesus' response, “And blessed is the one who takes no offense at me” (v. 6), means that John the Baptist will be blessed if he is not offended by Jesus’ way of bringing in the kingdom of heaven, even if it differs from his expectations.

Vv. 7-11. Jesus affirms that John the Baptist is more than a prophet (v. 9). According to Jewish belief, Malachi was the last Old Testament prophet; therefore, the Jews were eagerly awaiting the coming of a new prophet. Here, Jesus affirms that John the Baptist is that new prophet, even more than a prophet because he is the precursor of the Messiah. The Old Testament quotation in v. 10 combines Malachi 3:1 and Exodus 23:20. Matthew changes the “before me” of Malachi into “before you” to read that the messenger now precedes Jesus, but not God, as in Malachi.^[1] In v. 11, Jesus declares John the Baptist the greatest of all the prophets, and at the same time, he says that the least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than John the Baptist. In this statement, Jesus means that John the Baptist’s greatness is nothing compared to the privilege of inheriting the kingdom of heaven because the least of persons who enter the heavenly kingdom is greater than John the Baptist.

 

4.      Synthesis

From the prison where he is unjustly held, John the Baptist doubts whether his cousin Jesus is truly the Messiah because Jesus does not use some of his power to free him. In response, Jesus affirms that he is indeed the Messiah because, in a literal sense, his works fulfill the time of salvation Isaiah prophesied, and, in a spiritual sense, he enables those whom the devil has imprisoned spiritually. John the Baptist will be blessed if he is not offended by Jesus’ way of bringing in the kingdom of heaven, even if it differs from what he expects. Afterward, Jesus speaks to the crowds about John the Baptist, praising him and declaring him to be more than a prophet because of his role as the forerunner of the Messiah. He states that the greatness of John the Baptist is nothing compared to the privilege of inheriting the kingdom of heaven, because even the least of those who enter the kingdom is greater than John. 

B. Pastoral Implications

 

1. Liturgical Context

We are on the third Sunday of Advent, known as Gaudete Sunday or Rejoice Sunday. We light the third candle, the pink one, on our Advent wreath, symbolizing joy. Today’s liturgy calls us to wait for the coming of our Lord with joy. How can we wait joyfully despite the trials we face each day? Our first reading reassures us that God promises to come to save us someday, and the second reading encourages us to wait patiently for the fulfillment of God’s promise. The Gospel urges us to keep holding fast to our faith in Jesus and to prioritize our work for the kingdom of heaven, even amid suffering.

 

2. What the Church Teaches Us Today

The first part of our Gospel story (Mt 11:2-6) teaches us to maintain our faith in Jesus even when we face suffering. John experienced Jesus during his (John) good times. This is his first time experiencing Jesus in the most afflicted moment of his (John) life. Through his question in v. 3, he probably doubts that Jesus might be the Messiah because he does not see the works of the kingdom, which Jesus establishes fulfilled in his case. Jesus does not free him from the jail where he is unjustly detained. Sometimes, we act like John the Baptist here when we continue facing suffering and question whether Jesus is God and why he does not hear our prayers. 

In his response to John the Baptist and us today, Jesus, quoting Isaiah 35:5-6, the passage we heard in our first reading, lets us know that yes, he is the Messiah because the “blind regain their sight, the lame walk, lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the poor have the good news proclaimed to them. And blessed is the one who takes no offense at me.” (Mt 11:5-6). We learn three lessons from this statement. First, in the literal sense, Jesus is the Messiah because his deeds mark the fulfillment of the time of salvation Isaiah prophesied. Jesus wants John the Baptist and us to know that he is using his messianic power effectively to others. Our suffering should not blind us to the blessings that God bestows upon others. We do not necessarily need a sign or miracle to happen to us before we believe in Jesus. 

Second, in the spiritual sense, Jesus wants John the Baptist and us to know that his messianic mission is to free those Satan has imprisoned spiritually, which is not John’s case. While John the Baptist and we condition our faith in the Messiah on physical proof, Jesus gives us spiritual evidence. From the perspective of the first reading, Isaiah’s vision (Is 35:5-6) highlights the spiritual disabilities of his fellow Israelites. Their multiple crises rendered them “feeble, weak, and fearful” (see Is 35:3-4). Likewise, we are spiritually blind, deaf, and lame when we do not believe in Jesus and do not recognize the blessings he bestows on others. In this Eucharistic celebration, let us believe in Jesus and Isaiah’s prophecy regarding God’s promise to come to save us, which we heard in our first reading will be fulfilled in us. Our spiritual eyes will see the manifestation of the kingdom of heaven in us. Our ears will listen to the Word of God, and our tongues will proclaim it and praise God wherever we live. We, who were spiritually lame before, will now leap joyously to meet our Lord in each Mass we attend.

Third, the final part of Jesus' answer in our Gospel, “And blessed is the one who takes no offense at me,” means that we are blessed if we are not offended by Jesus’ way of bringing in the kingdom of heaven, even if it differs from what we expect. We believe that God does not make mistakes. So, we are called to continue believing in our Lord, even though things do not happen as we would like them to. Let us wait patiently for the fulfillment of God’s promise, as Saint James exhorts us in our second reading. He uses the analogy of a farmer who waits for the precious fruit of the earth, being patient with it until it receives the early and late rains. For Saint James, being patient means strengthening our hearts and refraining from complaining about one another so that we may not be judged (James 5:8-9).

In the second part of our Gospel (vv. 7-11), Jesus affirms that John the Baptist’s greatness is nothing compared to the privilege of inheriting the kingdom of heaven because the least among those who enter the heavenly kingdom is greater than John the Baptist. This teaches us to prioritize our work for eternal salvation in the kingdom of heaven. Nothing should stop us from striving to inherit this kingdom, not even our daily tribulations.

May the liturgy of this Mass enable us not to lose our faith in Jesus but to continue waiting for his coming with patience and joy even amid our suffering. Amen.

Rev. Leon Ngandu, SVD

Pastor of Holy Family Catholic Church, Jackson, MS &

SVD USS Biblical Apostolate Coordinator

 

 

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[1] NABRE, note to Matthew 11:9-10.

2nd Sunday of Advent A. Dec. 7, 2025

 

2^nd Sunday of Advent A. Dec. 7, 2025

Isaiah 11:1-10; Romans 15:4-9; Matthew 3:1-12

 

Theme: “Repent, for the Kingdom of Heaven is at Hand!”

A. A Brief Exegetical Analysis of Matthew 3:1-12

 

1.      Historical and Literary Contexts

The Gospel text is John the Baptist’s preaching in the desert, preparing his people for the beginning of Jesus’s ministry. Immediately before our Gospel story, Matthew recounted the return of the baby Jesus with his parents, Joseph and Mary, from Egypt, where they flew as refugees because Herod tried to kill the infant Jesus (2:19-23). After our text, the evangelist tells the stories of the Baptism of Jesus by John the Baptist (3:13-17), Jesus’ temptation in the desert by Satan (4:1-11), and the beginning of Jesus’ public ministry in Galilee (4:12-17).

 

2.      Form, Structure, and Movement

This text is a narrative story with images. Its structure contains three movements. The narrator introduces the story by mentioning the location and the content of John the Baptist’s preaching (vv. 1-2). Then, in the body of the text (vv. 3-10), he first identifies John the Baptist with Isaiah and Elijah to testify that Jesus is the Messiah who is to come (vv. 3-5). Next, he speaks of the crowds who went to John the Baptist to be baptized after acknowledging their sins (v. 6). Lastly, he recounts John the Baptist’s harsh warning to the Pharisees and Sadducees, who also solicited his baptism but with no intention to repent (vv. 7-10). The narrator concludes his story with John the Baptist’s last words to the crowds (vv. 11-12).

 

3.      Detailed Analysis

Vv.1-2. John the Baptist was preaching in the desert of Judea, the barren region west of the Dead Sea extending up the Jordan Valley.^[1] The content of his preaching is “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand!” (v. 2). Repent is a call for “a change of heart and conduct, a turning of one’s life from rebellion to obedience towards God.”^[2] Kingdom of heaven: Matthew is the only one who speaks of the kingdom of heaven instead of the kingdom of God. He substitutes “God” with “heaven” because he addressed his book to the Jewish community, and the devout Jews of his time avoided pronouncing the name “God” out of reverence.^[3] “Kingdom of heaven” here does not connote a geographic area, nor does it refer to the kingdom that will happen at the end of time. The word “basileia “kingdom” means “reign” or “rule” but not a territory.^[4] The expression “at hand” means that the “heavenly reign” is already present and visible here and now through Jesus, who is already among the people and ready to start his public ministry of establishing this heavenly reign, God’s triumph over physical evils, particularly death. Starting from that time, the people will be governed by the rule of the heavenly kingdom.

Vv. 3-10. The body of the text contains three movements. (1) Matthew identifies John the Baptist with Isaiah and Elijah to testify that Jesus is the Messiah who is to come. First, he makes the Baptist play the same role Isaiah played in the Old Testament. In its original context, Isaiah’s prophecy (see Is 40:3) was to prepare his fellow Israelites for their return from exile in Babylon. John the Baptist quotes and adapts this prophecy to prepare his people for the beginning of Jesus’ public ministry. He affirms that Isaiah spoke of Jesus in his prophecy. Second, the evangelist also associates John the Baptist with Elijah by describing his clothing (made of camel’s hair and a belt around his waist) since this was the style of the prophet Elijah’s dress (see 2 Kgs 1:8). This identification is because the people in Matthew’s time, referring to the prophecy of the prophet Malachi, the last canonical prophet, believed that the prophet Elijah would return from heaven to prepare Israel for the final manifestation of God’s kingdom (see Malachi 3:22-23; 4:5-6). Matthew taught his readers that this expectation was fulfilled in John the Baptist’s ministry (see Mt 11:10, 14; 17:11-13).^[5] If John the Baptist is Elijah, who was supposed to return, then Jesus is the Messiah who is to come. John's food, consisting of locusts and wild honey, connects him to the Essene community of his time (vv. 3-5).

(2) The crowds went to John the Baptist, acknowledged their sins, and received baptism (v. 6). This is a purificatory washing ritual for the purpose of repentance.

(3) John the Baptist rebukes the Pharisees and Sadducees, challenging them to produce good fruit as evidence of their repentance, because, unlike the crowds, they request baptism without genuine intention to repent (vv. 7-10). Matthew is the only evangelist who cites the Pharisees and Sadducees among those who went to John the Baptist and requested to be baptized. The Pharisees were lay religious leaders, and the Sadducees were priests from the more elite class. Unlike the Sadducees, the Pharisees believed in the resurrection (Mt 22:23; Acts 23:8). Additionally, while the Pharisees influenced ordinary laypeople, instructing them on how to be faithful to the Torah in their daily lives, the Sadducees primarily influenced the political elite and temple personnel.^[6] By mentioning these two religious groups here at the beginning of his Gospel, Matthew probably intends to prepare his readers on how Pharisees and Sadducees, later in his Gospel, will constitute the prime opponents of Jesus (see, for instance, 9:11, 14, 34; 12:2, 14, 24 15:1; 16:1, 6-12; 21:46; 22:15).   

Vv. 11-12. John the Baptist addresses the whole crowd. He uses images to speak of Jesus and the last judgment at the end of time. He testifies that Jesus is mightier than he (v. 11b). His baptism is just with water, but that of Jesus is with the Holy Spirit and fire. His mission is limited to warning the people of the fiery judgment; Jesus is the one who will condemn those who fail to repent and purify those who bear good fruits.^[7] 

 

4.      Synthesis

John the Baptist prepares his people for the beginning of Jesus' public ministry. He calls them to repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand. The narrator identified John the Baptist with the prophets Isaiah and Elijah to confirm that Jesus was the Messiah who was to come. John the Baptist taught them that Jesus was already among them, ready to establish the kingdom of heaven through the public ministry he was about to start. Unlike the crowds, who acknowledged their sins in seeking baptism, the Pharisees and Sadducees had no intention to repent that is why John the Baptist rebuked and challenged them to produce good fruits as evidence of their repentance. Matthew intentionally cited them at the beginning of his Gospel to inform his readers that these two religious groups would later be the primary challengers of Jesus.

B. Pastoral Implications

 

1. Liturgical Context

Today is the second Sunday of Advent. In the first reading, Isaiah prophesies about the ideal Davidic king. The Church sees this prophecy fulfilled in Jesus as John the Baptist preaches it in our Gospel. As we prepare for the coming of our Lord Jesus at Christmas, at the end of time, and for his daily presence in our lives, Saint Paul, in the second reading, exhorts us to think in harmony with one another, in keeping with Christ Jesus.

 

2. What the Church Teaches Us Today

 John the Baptist calls his people and us today to “repent, for the kingdom of heaven, the birth of our Lord Jesus, is at hand.” He rebukes us the way he did with the Pharisees and Sadducees, telling us not to claim ourselves “Abraham’s children” or “Christians” if we do not repent. He warns us that we will be cut down like a barren tree and thrown into the fire of hell if we do not bear good fruit as evidence of our repentance (v. 12). To repent is accepting to live under God’s “reign” and “rule,” which is living like in the garden of Eden before Adam and Eve fall, without discrimination and division. This is what today’s first and second readings teach us.

In the first reading, we heard the Messianic prophecy of the prophet Isaiah. Isaiah exercised his prophetic ministry in Judah in the late eighth and early seventh centuries BC. During that time, the Assyrian Empire was destroying the northern kingdom of Israel. Around 700 BC, they conquered the entire kingdom of Judah except for the capital, Jerusalem. Amid this destruction, Isaiah, in our first reading passage, sees a vision of a new king who will rise from the line of David. In three sections, this passage effectively summarizes the several dimensions of the role and ministry of the Messiah. The first section (Is 11:1-5) describes this new king who had to come as a new King David: “… a shoot shall sprout from the stump of Jesse.” Jesse was David's father. So, Jesus, who is coming at Christmas, is the “New David.” He rules over the Church, families, societies, and nations.

The second section (vv. 6-9), with images of the holy mountain, a little child, and wild animals living together, makes us return to the original peace in the Garden of Eden and refers to Jesus as a “New Adam.” The little child could symbolize peace. Also, it could spiritually be the image of the child Jesus who, at his birth in the cave, “guided” animals. This makes that spot of Bethlehem a new Eden on that night when God became Man (Incarnation). Also, the “Holy Mountain” alludes to Eden since, according to Ezekiel, Eden was a mountain with a garden on top (See Ez 28:13-14). In last Sunday’s first reading, we heard Isaiah prophesize that on this Mount Zion, the LORD’s house shall be established and raised above the hills (Is 2:1-2). In my interpretation of this text last Sunday, I identified this “LORD’s house” with the Church that Jesus established at the Last Supper in the Upper Room, located on the same Mount of Zion (see Heb 12:18-23). Our local Church is the “House of the Lord” that Jesus established. Look how we all came from different families and backgrounds to “climb it” to worship our Lord. This fulfilled Isaiah’s prophecy. Putting all together, the “holy mountain” refers to the new Eden, and both “holy mountain” and “New Eden” allude to the Church of Jesus. Jesus, the new Adam, makes us taste the fruit of the Tree of Life in the Garden of Eden through his Body and Blood, which we receive in the sacrament of the Eucharist. And he makes us experience the waters of the River of Life through the water of our baptism.

The third section of our first reading is in vv. 11-15. The lectionary for this Sunday retains just v. 11 and omits vv. 12-15. This section, especially v. 15, clearly points to the Exodus imagery and compares the new king, Jesus, with Moses. As Moses led the people of Israel from Egypt to the promised land by crossing the Red Sea, likewise, Jesus, who is coming at Christmas, leads us from the slavery of sins by crossing the river of Baptism to the “new Mount Zion,” which represents here the kingdom of heaven.

As citizens of the kingdom of heaven, our second reading exhorts us to live with harmony, without division. The context of this passage is the debate within the Roman community, which was composed of both Jewish and Gentile members, about whether circumcision was mandatory to become Jesus’ follower or not. This debate resulted in a division between the circumcised (Jews) and the uncircumcised (Gentiles). The question was how they would follow the Christian way with different ethnic practices. Paul tries to find a solution in the passage we heard in our second reading. For him, the answer lies in “endurance” and through “the encouragement of the scriptures.” He then invites both Jews and Gentiles, including all of us today, to think and live in harmony and welcome one another as Christ welcomes everyone without looking at skin color, language, culture, or social class.

 The kingdom of heaven is at hand. May this liturgy of the Mass enable us to produce good fruits as evidence of our repentance in this Advent season. Amen.

 

Rev. Leon Ngandu, SVD

Pastor of Holy Family Catholic Church, Jackson, MS &

SVD USS Biblical Apostolate Coordinator

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[1] NABRE, notes to Mt 3:1.

[2] NABRE, note to Mt 3:2.

[3] Barbara E. Reid, The Gospel According to Matthew (Collegeville, Minnesota: Liturgical Press, 2005), 21-22.

[4] Barbara E. Reid, The Gospel According to Matthew, 22.

[5] NABRE, note to Matthew 3:4.

[6] Barbara E. Reid, The Gospel According to Matthew, 23.

[7] Ian Boxall, “Matthew” in the Jerome Biblical Commentary for the Twenty-First Century. Third Fully Revised Edition, ed. By John J. Collins, Gina Hens-Piazza, Barbara Reid OP, Donald Senior CP. (Great Britain: T&T Clark Bloomsbury Publishing Plc, 2022), 1178.

 

First Sunday of Advent, Year A. Nov. 30, 2025

First Sunday of Advent, Year A. Nov. 30, 2025

Isaiah 2:1-5; Romans 13:11-14; Matthew 24:37-44

 

Theme: Repent and Always Stay Awake Until the Coming of our Lord

A. A Brief Exegetical Analysis of Matthew 24:37-44

 

1.      Historical and Literary Contexts

Our Gospel passage comes from the part where Jesus teaches about the destruction of the Jerusalem temple and the signs of the end times (24:1-51). In this section, Jesus predicted the destruction of Jerusalem’s temple (24:1-2), and his disciples asked him when this destruction would occur and what signs would precede his coming and the end of the age (24:3). Our Gospel passage is part of Jesus’ response. Before this text, Jesus described the beginning of calamities (vv. 4-14), the great tribulation of the “desolating abomination” (vv. 15-28), his second coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory (vv. 29-31), and the parable of the Fig Tree, which taught them how to discern the proximity of the end of the age (vv. 32-35). Immediately following our text is the parable of the Faithful and Unfaithful Servant, which concludes this section and through which Jesus urges his disciples to be faithful and prudent (vv. 45-51).

 

2.      Form, Structure, and Movement

Our Gospel passage is an apocalyptic discourse with analogies and parables. It can be divided into two parts. In the first part, Jesus likens the days leading up to his second coming to the days that preceded Noah’s flood event (vv. 37-39), and in the second part, through some brief parables, he exhorts his disciples to remain vigilant at all times (vv. 40-44).  

 

3.       Detailed Analysis

Vv. 37-39. In the first part of our Gospel, Jesus compares the days preceding the flood in Noah’s time to the days leading up to his second coming and the last judgment. The people in Noah’s time did not know when the flood would come. They perished because of their unreadiness. In this comparison, Jesus warns his disciples that the same will be true at his second coming and the final judgment. The disciples have nothing to do with the lack of knowledge of when the end of time occurs because God is the only one who knows the day and hour (see v. 36). What they can do is always stay prepared to escape eternal condemnation.

 Vv. 40-44. Jesus illustrates his teaching with some parables in the second part of our Gospel (vv. 40-44). The parable about the two men working in the field and the two women grinding at the mill, among whom one will be taken, and one will be left, teaches that eternal salvation and eternal condemnation are both factual and imminent. The parable about “the master of the house and the thief” emphasizes the necessity of always being ready and prepared, as nobody knows when the end of time will occur. 

 

4.      Synthesis

Jesus discussed his second coming and the final judgment with his disciples. He first likened the days leading to the end of time and the last judgment with the days that preceded the flood’s event in Noah’s time. In this comparison and through various parables, he emphasized that the end time and the last judgment are both actual and imminent, and no one knows when they will occur. Consequently, the faithful are called to remain vigilant at all times and be prepared to be saved.

B. Pastoral Implications

 

1. Liturgical Context

 

a.      Liturgical Context of the Advent Season

Last Sunday, the Solemnity of Jesus Christ, King of the Universe, marked the end of the Liturgical Calendar Year C. Consequently, on this First Sunday of Advent, we begin a new Liturgical Calendar Year A. Derived from its Latin origin, Adventus, the word “Advent” means “coming.” The liturgy of this four-week season prepares us for the three comings of Jesus: (1) his coming into history over 2000 years ago, celebrated on Christmas; (2) his second coming in glory at the end of time; and (3) his daily coming into our lives. All three comings of Jesus require proper preparation. A meaningful celebration of Christmas depends on how we prepare ourselves during this Advent. The celebration in heaven will be assured if we sincerely prepare for Jesus’s return at the end of time. Additionally, Jesus’s real presence in our daily lives depends on our daily efforts to welcome him.

Although Christmas gives us the image of a holiday with decorations and shopping, let us remember that Advent is a particular time of repentance. The purple color of the Advent liturgy reminds us of this. The four candles of the Advent Wreath teach us that our repentance and waiting for Jesus’ coming should be with hope (first Sunday), peace (second Sunday), joy (third Sunday), and love (fourth Sunday).

The Gospel of the First Sunday focuses on Jesus’ second coming. It invites us to stay watchful and alert as we do not know when he will come. On the second and third Sundays, we will hear John the Baptist calling us to repentance as our preparation for Jesus’ coming. The story of how Jesus' birth came about, which we will hear in the last Sunday’s Gospel, will prepare us to celebrate his birth on Christmas.

 

b.      Liturgical Context of the First Sunday of Advent

The hope candle is lit in our Advent wreath, reminding us to wait for Jesus with hope. The scripture readings we just heard teach us what to do while waiting for Jesus’ coming. In the first reading, the prophet Isaiah calls his fellow Israelites, who were waiting for the “day of the Lord,” to walk in the light of the Lord and let God instruct them in his way. The Gospel teaches us that the end of time and the last judgment are actual and imminent. We must repent and remain vigilant. Saint Paul asks the Roman faithful to do the same thing in the second reading. He exhorts them to throw off the works of darkness and put on the armor of light now, not postponing it because the hour is nearer.

 

 

 

2. What the Church Teaches Us Today

In the first part of our Gospel (24:37-39), Jesus warns us today that what happened in Noah’s time will also apply to his second coming and the final judgment. Therefore, unlike the people of Noah’s time, we should repent, remain vigilant, and avoid returning to our sinful lives until our day of salvation. Jesus illustrates his teaching with parables in the second part of our Gospel (vv. 40-44). The parable of the two men working in the field and the two women grinding at the mill, among whom one will be taken, and one will be left (vv. 40-41), teaches us that eternal salvation and eternal condemnation are real and imminent. The parable of “the master of the house and the thief” emphasizes the necessity for us to always be ready, as nobody knows when the end of time will occur. The first reading imparts the same lesson.

 The first reading presents Isaiah’s vision of the “Mountain of the Lord’s house” (Mount Zion), which refers to the Church that Jesus established at the Last Supper. He prophesies that in the coming days, the mountain of the Lord’s house will be established as the highest mountain, elevated above the hills (Is 2:2). This vision finds its fulfillment in Jesus when he celebrated the Last Supper and instituted the sacrament of the Eucharist (Mass) in the Upper Room, located on the same Mount Zion mentioned by Isaiah.

Jesus established his Church and elevated it higher. All nations, including us today, will stream towards it as we do here and now. Our Local Church embodies this “mountain of the Lord’s house.” Every time we attend Mass, we are sacramentally brought into the “Upper Room on this Mount Zion” and renew our covenant with him. Coming to Church symbolizes ascending to the house of the Lord, as Isaiah encourages us: “Come and climb the Lord’s Mountain, to the house of the God of Jacob, that he may instruct us in his ways, and we may walk in his paths” (Is 2:3). Through the scripture readings and homilies that we hear at each Mass, God instructs us, not in the way we desire, but in his ways. He guides us not in the direction we choose but in his direction.

Isaiah continues by stating that the people “shall beat their swords into plowshares and their spears into pruning hooks; One nation shall not raise the sword against another, nor shall they train for war again” (Is 2:4). God’s word and instruction lead the nation of Israel to repentance, prompting them to settle their disputes rather than resort to war. Similarly, God’s Word and the homilies we hear at each Mass should transform us and encourage us to repent of all sins. Isaiah concludes this passage by inviting us to walk in the Lord’s light. This means that after leaving our sins behind, we should remain ever-vigilant so as not to return to our old ways. 

In our second reading, Saint Paul advises us not to postpone repentance but to do so now, because salvation is nearer (Rm 13:11). May the liturgy of this first Sunday of Advent enable us to repent and remain vigilant until the day of our salvation. Amen.

Rev. Leon Ngandu, SVD

Pastor of Holy Family Catholic Church, Jackson, MS &

SVD USS Biblical Apostolate Coordinator