THEME: HOPE IN TIMES OF CRISIS
READINGS: Jer. 33:14-16 / 1 Thessalonians 3:12-4:2/ Luke 21:25-28, 34-36
1st Sunday of Advent
- INTRODUCTION
The Catholic Church’s liturgical year begins with the first Sunday of Advent. In the season of Advent, we reflect on the events which preceded Christ’s first coming, so as to learn lessons for our preparation for His second coming. Advent is, therefore, a season of joyful hope. Providentially, today’s readings offer us reasons to hope in the midst of the current world crisis.
- CRISIS OF GOD’S PEOPLE OF OLD AND HIS INTERVENTION
God’s People of old often experienced crisis when they were unfaithful to Him. Their unfaithfulness included disobedience to His commandments, e.g., worship of other gods. Thus, after the death of King Solomon, the nation of Israel was divided into two – the northern Kingdom of Israel and the southern Kingdom of Judah, which retained Jerusalem.
In 721 BC, the northern Kingdom of Israel was conquered by the Assyrians. The Kingdom of Judah would remain alone until it was also conquered by the Babylonians in 587 BC. In this latter conquest, the Jerusalem Temple and the City walls were destroyed, many inhabitants were killed and thousands were sent into exile in Babylon.
It was while the Jews were in Babylon and had repented of their sins that the prophet delivered to them the message in today’s first reading. It was a message of hope for God’s deliverance: “The days are surely coming, says the Lord, when I will fulfill the promise I made to the house of Israel and the house of Judah. … In those days Judah will be saved and Jerusalem will live in safety” (Jer. 33:14-16). And so by the intervention of God, the Persians conquered the Babylonians, and King Cyrus of Persia decreed in 538 BC that the Jewish exiles were free to return to Judah.
- UNIVERSAL CRISIS AND CHRIST’S COMING
Disobedience to God is not limited to a particular people, but to the whole human race. Thus, St. Paul rightly states: “all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (Rom. 3:23). As a result of the sin of humanity, the universe which God created and declared as “very good” (Gen. 1:31) experiences crisis.
In today’s gospel reading, we are given a picture of the crisis in the universe which will precede the second coming of our Lord Jesus Christ: “There will be signs in the sun, the moon, and the stars, and on the earth distress among nations confused by the roaring of the sea and the waves. People will faint from fear and foreboding of what is coming upon the world, for the powers of the heavens will be shaken” (Luke 21:25-26).
This universal crisis, however, does not have the final say. There is hope! This is because Christ the King of the Universe, through whom the universe was created and who has power even over death, is coming again to save us (cf. Luke 21:27-28).
- HOPE IN THE MIDST OF TODAY’S CRISIS
The interventions by God and His Son, Jesus Christ, should give us great hope in the midst of today’s global, national and, for some people, personal crisis:
– Global Crisis: The current global crisis includes the escalating war between Russia and Ukraine, the devastating wars in Gaza and Lebanon, the recent vote in favour of “assisted dying” in British Parliament, the LGBTQ++ agenda which endangers the human race, etc.
– National Crisis : In Ghana, the national crisis includes the tense political atmosphere leading to the general elections on 7th December, 2024, violence and insecurity (e.g., the protracted Bawku conflict), corrupt and weak institutions of governance, unscrupulous and unpatriotic politicians/public officials, culture of impunity, socio-economic regression, religious fraud, etc.
– Personal Crisis : Besides the global and national crisis, some individuals may be experiencing personal crisis, e.g., poverty, loss of job, trade loss, failure in examinations, no marriage, divorce, childlessness, etc.
- EMBRACING HOPE
In the midst of the above crises, let us not despair. Rather, let us embrace hope. Firstly, let us believe in God’s previous interventions in history and trust in what He can still do through Christ, who indeed, is our hope (cf. 1 Tim. 1:1).
Secondly, God’s People of old experienced His intervention whenever they repented of their sins. Hence, embracing hope requires that we turn away from our sins, aspire to holiness and preach same to others (cf. 1 Thess. 3:12-13).
Thirdly, St. Paul prays that we may “abound in love to one another and to all men” and women (1 Thess. 3:12). So, to hope in the intervention of God, who is love (cf. 1 John 4:8) but whom we cannot see, requires that we love others (cf. 1 John 4:11-12).
- CONCLUSION
May God grant us the grace to embrace hope! May we absolutely trust in what He can do through Christ, while we repent of our sins and love one another! Finally, by the powerful intervention of God, may the darkness of our global, national and/or personal crisis give way to the bright light of a just, free, peaceful and prosperous future! Amen!
By Most Rev. John Kobina Louis
