REFLECTION/HOMILY FOR THURSDAY OF THE FIRST WEEK OF ADVENT 7TH 12 2023

REFLECTION/HOMILY FOR THURSDAY OF THE FIRST WEEK OF ADVENT 7TH 12 2023

Isaiah 26:1-6; Ps.118; Matthew 7:21-27

God’s Word strengthens us to overcome sin

In this season of advent, we are anticipating the coming of the Messiah. Yesterday, we saw that this anticipation is with great expectation. Today, the gospel reading teaches us that our anticipation must grow beyond a mere psychological disposition. For our expectation to be concretely meaningful, it must be at some cost. That is, we anticipate the Lord not by merely waiting for him but by preparing to receive him.

It is relatively easy to choose to psychologically anticipate the Lord. Anyone can do it. Where the matter lies is to concretely prepare for him. For this reason, Jesus says that not all those who call him Lord, Lord, shall enter his kingdom but those who were busy doing what will make him to be please with them. A child who sits and waits for the mother to return from the market without carrying out the chores given him/her by the mother, will not find the mother’s return pleasurable.

Without doing the will God, our waiting for him will be meaningless. God’s coming is not without judgment because he comes to establish peace; true peace is founded on justice. It is only a life of righteousness that can give us stability at the face of God’s judgment. We can only be sure of salvation if we have been busy doing God’s will.

With the analogy Jesus gave in today’s gospel, it is clear that living by the word of God gives us strength to overcome sin. The man who hears Jesus’ words and does them is able to withstand the rain, the floods and the winds. Counsellors, psychologists and all those involve in guiding human behaviours, continue to prescribe behavioural ways to overcome bad habits. But then, the fact remains that only by the power of God can Satan be defeated.

So, if we must give up sinful habits in concrete preparation for the coming of the Messiah, we must rely on the word of God. The responsorial psalm is clear on this for it says that those who come in the name of the Lord are truly blessed. In the words of the prophet Isaiah in the first reading, they are the righteous nation who have access to the kingdom of God. Only those who prepare for the Lord can belong to the Lord. Today, pray for the grace to overcome bad habits.