By John Desing csc –
Readings: Is 63:16b-17, 19b, 64:2-7; 1Cor 1:3-9; Mk 13:33-37
Advent is a time for being extra vigilant because we do not know when, how and what is to come. What we know is just a tip of an iceberg in the sea. The reading asks us to “be on guard and stay awake”. But it does not tell us how to be awake. We need to have a sense of inner silence to be awake and alert. It is a challenge to be alert all times even if we have watchdogs and CCTV camera surveillance to assist us. Because ‘unless the Lord guards the city, the guard keeps watch in vain’ (Psalm 127).
When we ‘do not know’, we begin to think, search, explore and even question. Fatal road accidents occur not because the driver is a learner, but because of the attitude that ‘I know everything’. Indeed, there is tremendous amount of possibility in the words ‘do not know’, because seeking comes purely from ‘not knowing’. When I say to myself that I know everything I draw a conclusion for each and everything i.e. by restricting truth to my limited logical framework. Being awake is owning up and being accountable for one’s duty and job. It also means doing my best and leaving the rest to God.
Amidst the uncertainty of the corona pandemic, we are called to be focused to fulfil our duties and responsibilities, to see the signs of God’s love and their implications for us, and not to lose hope for the Lord continues to give us strength till the end.