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Nov
19

(Advent Sunday I) Waiting for the Lord’s Coming

angfrayle on November 19th, 2008

The Season of Advent is the season where we make our own the desire and expectation of the first Christians for the return of their Lord. The characteristic prayer for this season is “Maran Atha”, “Come, Lord!”. The selection from Mark (Mark 13:33-37) taken from Jesus’ Eschatological Discourse (Mark 13) is a strong reminder that Christians are to keep themselves awake as they wait for the Lord.


Relevant Articles

Sunday Thoughts: Waiting for the Lord

Be Watchful and Alert
See also this article on the reading from Isaiah

Guide for Reading

Sentence flow

  1. Observe the above sentence flow (click on the image for a larger look) based on Mark 13:33-37 and note the highlighted elements
    1. The repetition of the word “watch”, “watchful”
    2. The insistence on “You do not know the time…”
    3. The parable about the man who goes away after leaving assigned tasks to his servants
    4. The assignment given to the doorkeeper
    5. The concluding command
  2. For a deeper understanding of the passage
    1. The words for “watch” here are two related verbs “gregorein” and “agrupnein”. Both are used in regard to shepherds who have to keep awake at night as they watch over their sheep to protect them from predators.
    2. Read the parable of the talents (Matthew 25:14-30) and the parable of the faithful servant (Matthew 24:45-51) and compare it with the parable in Mark 13.

    Comparing the Readings

    1. The first reading from Isaiah 63:16-17.19 and 64:2-7 is a liturgical prayer asking for God’s visitation. It is one of the classic texts of Advent. The cry for God to “rend the heavens and come down” is answered in Mark’s account of the baptism of the Lord, where the heavens were rent open and the Spirit of God like a dove descends on Jesus. The prayer is also a confession of guilt that expresses the spirit of Advent which is also a special time for conversion and repentance.

    The second reading from Paul (1 Corinthians 1:3-9) expresses Paul’s confidence that God will keep the Conrinthians “firm till the end, irreproachable on the day of the Lord Jesus.”. The tone of these two readings enhances the Advent message of the Gospel which is characterized by imperatives to keep watch and be alert.

    Suggestions for the Lesson

    The spirit of the liturgy of Advent is described in these words by the Catechism:

    When the Church celebrates the liturgy of Advent each year, she makes present the ancient expectancy of the Messiah, for by sharing in the long preparation for the Savior’s first coming, the faithful renew their ardent desire for his second coming. (CCC 524)

    It is therefore an expectation filled with hope, not fear. The prayer expressed in the first reading should become the faithful’s desire for the coming of the Lord, and the confidence of Paul, the same confidence that they should have in the promise of the Lord’s return.

    2. During Advent we prepare for three comings of the Lord: his daily advent in the neighbor who comes to meet us each day, the remembrance of his advent during the first Christmas, and his coming on the Last Day. These three “advents” are related in that the celebration of the season of Advent should make us more sensitive to the Lord who meets us daily in the people and events in our lives (as in Luke 24) and whom we should recognize at His arrival. He who does not cultivate this sensitivity to His presence will not recognize Him when He comes to be revealed.

Mark 13:33-37
View in: NAB NIV KJV NJB Vulg Greek
33Take ye heed, watch and pray. For ye know not when the time is.
34Even as a man who going into a far country, left his house; and gave authority to his servants over every work, and commanded the porter to watch.
35Watch ye therefore, (for you know not when the lord of the house cometh: at even, or at midnight, or at the cockcrowing, or in the morning,)
36Lest coming on a sudden, he find you sleeping.
37And what I say to you, I say to all: Watch.
Mark 13:33-37
View in: NAB NIV KJV NJB Vulg Greek
33Take ye heed, watch and pray. For ye know not when the time is.
34Even as a man who going into a far country, left his house; and gave authority to his servants over every work, and commanded the porter to watch.
35Watch ye therefore, (for you know not when the lord of the house cometh: at even, or at midnight, or at the cockcrowing, or in the morning,)
36Lest coming on a sudden, he find you sleeping.
37And what I say to you, I say to all: Watch.
Matthew 25:14-30
View in: NAB NIV KJV NJB Vulg Greek
14For even as a man going into a far country, called his servants, and delivered to them his goods;
15And to one he gave five talents, and to another two, and to another one, to every one according to his proper ability: and immediately he took his journey.
16And he that had received the five talents, went his way, and traded with the same, and gained other five.
17And in like manner he that had received the two, gained other two.
18But he that had received the one, going his way digged into the earth, and hid his lord's money.
19But after a long time the lord of those servants came, and reckoned with them.
20And he that had received the five talents coming, brought other five talents, saying: Lord, thou didst deliver to me five talents, behold I have gained other five over and above.
21His lord said to him: Well done, good and faithful servant, because thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will place thee over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord.
22And he also that had received the two talents came and said: Lord, thou deliveredst two talents to me: behold I have gained other two.
23His lord said to him: Well done, good and faithful servant: because thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will place thee over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord.
24But he that had received the one talent, came and said: Lord, I know that thou art a hard man; thou reapest where thou hast not sown, and gatherest where thou hast not strewed.
25And being afraid I went and hid thy talent in the earth: behold here thou hast that which is thine.
26And his lord answering, said to him: Wicked and slothful servant, thou knewest that I reap where I sow not, and gather where I have not strewed:
27Thou oughtest therefore to have committed my money to the bankers, and at my coming I should have received my own with usury.
28Take ye away therefore the talent from him, and give it to him that hath ten talents.
29For to every one that hath shall be given, and he shall abound: but from him that hath not, that also which he seemeth to have shall be taken away.
30And the unprofitable servant cast ye out into the exterior darkness. There shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.
Matthew 24:45-51
View in: NAB NIV KJV NJB Vulg Greek
45Who, thinkest thou, is a faithful and wise servant, whom his lord hath appointed over his family, to give them meat in season.
46Blessed is that servant, whom when his lord shall come he shall find so doing.
47Amen I say to you, he shall place him over all his goods.
48But if that evil servant shall say in his heart: My lord is long a coming:
49And shall begin to strike his fellow servants, and shall eat and drink with drunkards:
50The lord of that servant shall come in a day that he hopeth not, and at an hour that he knoweth not:
51And shall separate him, and appoint his portion with the hypocrites. There shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.
Isaiah 63:16-17
View in: NAB NIV KJV NJB Vulg LXX Hebrew
16For thou art our father, and Abraham hath not known us, and Israel hath been ignorant of us: thou, O Lord, art our father, our redeemer, from everlasting is thy name.
17Why hast thou made us to err, O Lord, from thy ways: why hast thou hardened our heart, that we should not fear thee? return for the sake of thy servants, the tribes of thy inheritance.
1 Corinthians 1:3-9
View in: NAB NIV KJV NJB Vulg Greek
3Grace to you, and peace from God our Father, and from the Lord Jesus Christ.
4I give thanks to my God always for you, for the grace of God that is given you in Christ Jesus,
5That in all things you are made rich in him, in all utterance, and in all knowledge;
6As the testimony of Christ was confirmed in you,
7So that nothing is wanting to you in any grace, waiting for the manifestation of our Lord Jesus Christ.
8Who also will confirm you unto the end without crime, in the day of the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.
9God is faithful: by whom you are called unto the fellowship of his Son Jesus Christ our Lord.
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