First Monday of Advent: A Time for Christians and Non-Christians
It is a time for Christians. It is a time for non-Christians. Whoever you are, Advent is a time for you.
This is obviously true in a trivial sense: for Christians and non-Christians, Advent is a time of preparing for Christmas, which has become something of a universal secular holiday. Today is being dubbed ‘Cyber Monday’ as a day when many people will go online to snap up bargains for their Christmas shopping, in the wake of the ‘Black Friday’ sales last week, which in turn is connected to the American ‘Thanksgiving’ festivities. Christians or not, we are all preparing in hope (and perhaps not a little anxiety) for the great Day later this month.
But is there a deeper sense in which both Christians and non-Christians can be united in Advent, as we look forward to Christmas? I think we should avoid the stereotypical opposition between “Christians who are good because they prepare spiritually for Christmas” and “non-Christians who are bad because they prepare materialistically for Christmas”! Christians can be just as materialistic as non-Christians, after all. But is there not a difference in our spiritual preparation?
In today’s Gospel, Jesus is amazed by the faith of the Roman centurion: “Truly, I say to you, not even in Israel have I found such faith.” Even the Gentiles could have faith in Christ! This is deeply encouraging to those who are still looking for the spiritual meaning of life and have not yet found Christ. Just as the Israelites were waiting for the promised Messiah, Christians today await the coming of the Son of God who is already known to us. On the other side, the Gentiles are a model for those who are still looking for their Saviour and (we pray) will believe in him when he comes.
Christians or not, let us all make time this Advent to prepare in faith and hope for the coming of our Saviour, confident that “many will come from east and west and sit at table with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven”.
– fr. Matthew Jarvis OP
Readings of the day: Isaiah 2:1-5; Psalm 122:1-9; Matthew 8:5-11
