WORD ALIVE
Tomorrow is the first Sunday of Advent, the beginning of the church’s liturgical calendar. And the call is “be watchful; be alert. You do not know when the Lord of the house will come. He may find you sleeping” (Mark 13, 35).
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It does not mean that we are literally in a state of dormition. That reminds me of that witty remark: “Some are working hard; others are hardly working.” “Waking up” in the gospel means rising from spiritual slumber and laziness. In short, it is a call for renewal.
As we enter the church’s new year, we would do well to pause and ponder where our life is heading to. Am I making any spiritual progress or am I retrogressing? Or, am I making a change for the better or worse?
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I came across a story about an escaped convict from Devil’s Island, the penal colony off the French Guiana coast. The man was sentenced to life imprisonment in connection with a murder in Marseilles.
While in prison, he suffered remorse of conscience for his crime and made reparation. Since he was a doctor, he devoted the remaining years of his life to curing the sick in the island.
When he died at 72, several hundred people gathered to pay their last respects to the man who had done so much to heal their physical illnesses.
From a murderer, he became an upright man, a healer, and a hero. This true story illustrates how we, too, can rise from our sinfulness and live a worthwhile life. And it happened because the man “woke up” to the call of renewal from within.
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Who fights senseless wars, who kills, who steals from the government’s coffers, who denudes our forests in order to amass ill-gotten wealth?
There is no real transformation in society unless there is an inner personal transformation. Whatever is wrong with society is the accumulated result of whatever is wrong with the people who compose it.
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The word Advent comes from the Latin word “Adventum” which literally means “coming.” May Advent not only refer to the coming of Santa Claus, simple or sumptuous parties and gift-giving but more especially our coming to the Lord through moral conversion.
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Laugh with Santa Claus. There are four stages in a man’s life. First, when he believes in Santa Claus. Second, when he doesn’t believe in Santa Claus anymore. Third, when he is Santa Claus. Fourth, when he looks like Santa Claus.
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I’ve never realized how bad the economy was until I spoke to Santa Claus on the phone. During our chat, I asked: “How’s Rudolph, the reindeer?”
“Delicious,” Santa replied.
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Come and join the 33rd Eucharistic Congress today, Nov. 30, 7 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Venue: St. Joseph’s Convent of Perpetual Adoration (Pink Sisters Convent) 7171 Dona M. Hemady Avenue, New Manila, Quezon City.
Theme of the Congress: “The Eucharist as the Source and Summit of Prayer Life.” Speakers are: Rev. Fr. Aris Martin, SVD; Fr. Dave Concepcion; Most Rev. Pablito. Tagura, SVD, DD, Apostolic Vicar of San Jose, Occidental Mindoro who will also lead the concelebrated Mass.
The president of the Eucharistic Adorers is Ms. Maria Monalisa M. Lacanlale. Sponsored by the Holy Spirit of the Adoration Sisters (Pink Sisters).