"For Soul Security, 'Be Vigilant At All Times'" -- 1st Sunday of Advent Homily

It was great to see images last week from the Middle East, people celebrating the ceasefire.

They were driving about freely in the streets and actually dancing.

Even just that initial experience of safety and security brings freedom and peace.

And the confidence, hope is that both sides will be vigilant in honoring the ceasefire.

In our country, thankfully, since 9-11, we have experienced safety and security vis-a-vis travel.

And we trust that our leaders are vigilant, and that's a whole model for all of us to be vigilant.

In our homes, our home security, we're very vigilant, locking the doors at all times, having our systems on.

knowing that there's danger all around us, evil is all around us.

But if our home is safe and secure, we can move about our home freely and in peace.

God promises safety and security to the people of Israel through the prophet Jeremiah.

They were terrified of attacks from enemies.

So God promised he would raise up a just shoot, a leader.

this branch, this stem that would be a good leader and would be vigilant in protecting the people.

Jesus Christ is that leader.

And in the midst of fear and fright, in the gospel, He's talking about the most frightening events we can imagine.

This is the most scary gospel we might hear.

and he's promising sole security to those who are with Him.

I mean the language of this, not just the elements in the sky and the earth, but that people will be...

it's going to solve everyone.

People die of fright.

And yet we as Christians who are close to Jesus are talking about this season of preparing for His coming with hope and joy.

Huh?

How does this translate to us in the same way as the other security measures translate to peace and freedom and hope?

And Jesus says it's vigilance.

Be vigilant at all times.

We know He supplies

soul security.

And for those who are close to him, this day is not scary, it's the day of redemption.

Every day with Christ is a day of redemption.

Amen?

To experience that in Him brings freedom and peace.

So in Advent we go back to His first coming, all that He brought into the world.

But then also can we carry that to His second coming?

I think in general we can, until He says, at all times.

Be vigilant at all times.

That's where He might lose us.

because we're not perfect like Mary.

The all times, don't pray every day or I'm losing it morally or spiritually or my patience.

And we think it's just not possible.

It's just not doable.

I want to offer three suggestions for Advent that makes it doable and that might hopefully bring us peace and hope for His second coming.

The first is

What we have, well they're all three in our gathering space, these reminders.

We have reminders to be vigilant in our community and in our homes and so forth, so let's do it with our soul security.

As your pastor, it's my responsibility to present reminders.

But we have it in very clear terms to be vigilant with the new Adoration Chapel coming.

It says to keep watch with him.

That's what vigilance means.

For an hour, every week.

Now you might not be able to make that commitment, but anything you do to help, and if you're on the fence, I would say just commit.

Just take the leap and then you're vigilant.

Then you're being vigilant.

And then the parish, for 24-7 chapel, the parish is being vigilant at all times.

Amen.

The second and third reminders are on the doors of the church every Sabbath.

We don't do Mass every other Sunday.

If I came here once a month, you might be like, what's wrong with our pastor?

It's every Sunday, And if we're, I you might be wondering that anyway, I don't know.

But in terms of commitment, if we're honoring Mass every Sunday, we're being vigilant at all times with the Eucharist.

Third is the state of grace.

This might be the most important one.

Because we should be in a state of grace at all times.

that share in the life of God.

That if we lose it, Jesus says, to this drowsiness or carousing or drunkenness, we step out of the state of grace, we need to come back to the Church to receive it.

And that's most commonly with confession.

And I've said it before, I'll say it repeatedly, if we stay close to the Eucharist and confession, we have nothing to worry about in terms of judgment.

We'll be saved.

Totally confident in that.

In other aspects of our lives, are vigilant, and that vigilance brings confidence.

So at work, you're doing the work you're supposed to do.

You're prepared for projects or presentations at school.

You're preparing for tests.

In relationships, you're putting in the time and effort and care.

So you're confident in what's coming.

So it should be with judgment.

If we're vigilant, then we're confident in Christ's second coming.

that we among those who will escape these tribulations and stand before the Son of Man on the Day of Redemption.