In today’s gospel, on the first Sunday of Advent, Jesus speaks rather dramatically. His words are not characterized by empty rhetoric, however. Today he is speaking about things that matter the most—and there is a lot at stake.
Jesus explains, “As it was in the days of Noah, so it will be at the coming of the Son of Man.” How was it in the days of Noah? “They were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage.” In other words, they were living life. They were doing what human persons do—and need to do. Good things. These are all things that flow from the fundamental inclinations of human nature.
Nonetheless, Jesus points out that such things—good as they are—are insufficient for salvation. In other words, it is possible for us to miss Jesus even while we are doing good things. “Two men will be out in the field,” doing their work, their jobs, and one will be “taken” and the other one “left” behind. Jesus continues: “two women will be grinding at the mill; one will be taken and one will be left.” Although both of these men and both of these women were doing the same good things, they were not equally prepared for the coming of Our Lord.
Jesus, thus, enjoins us to “stay awake”—to remain alert. This injunction to “stay awake” is interesting. No one can do fieldwork or domestic duties while asleep. Why does Our Lord, then, tell us “to stay awake” in the context of speaking about activities that require us to be awake? The answer is simple. He is pointing to a subtle but significant phenomenon: It is possible to be very busy, very active, and even very good, and still miss Jesus.
And this phenomenon brings us to the purpose of Advent. During Advent, the Church only invites Christians to turn their gaze—with deliberate attentiveness—to the things that matter the most. The Church recognizes that we can be actively consumed with, and energetically earnest about, very good things—things like natural life, like family, like culture, like politics—and also be metaphorically asleep before the things that matter the most.
Thus, Advent is a sacred time for us to “wake up” to—to be reminded about—Our Lord’s identity and our profound need to find our identity in him.
It is all too easy to become complacent in our sentiments that we are “good persons.” Evidently, in Our Lord’s mind, this is not enough. Why is it not enough? It is not enough because only Jesus is enough—and our salvation is nothing other than real and loving union with Jesus.
In short, Our Lord lovingly desires that we not miss him—that we not be distracted from him in our personal life. He wants us to be fully converted to him—that we raise our minds and our hearts to him. He desires that we not be lethargic in the occupations of health, family, work, and society. These activities, again, are wholesome aspects of human existence, but they are inadequate for the salvation that Jesus gives.
The only thing that is adequate for the salvation that Jesus gives is union with Jesus himself. And how are we united to Jesus? How do we prepare to welcome him in our lives? Through the Seven Sacraments of the Church. Jesus is truly present and active in our lives through the Sacraments. He comes to us—always and definitely!—through the Sacraments. In sum, Advent is a wonderful time to avail ourselves of the sacraments with greater regularity and fervor. Why? Those who live a truly sacramental life are always ready to meet Jesus.
