Have you ever walked into a dark room and realized you had been sitting in the dim for so long that your eyes adjusted to it? You did not notice how dark it had gotten until someone turned on a light, and suddenly you thought, “Wow, I did not realize it was this dark.” That is how spiritual life often is. The darkness does not come all at once, it creeps in slowly. A little discouragement here and a little distraction there until one day, you realize your inner light has dimmed.
While the world is already rushing into Christmas lights and holiday noise, the Church invites us in this season of advent to do something radically different, to slow down, quiet down, wake up, and name the various areas darkness is sneaking into our lives and to respond with the light of Christ. The word Advent means “coming.” It is not just about remembering when Christ came over 2,000 years ago. It is about being awake when he comes again, and recognizing him as he comes today.
St Paul says in the second reading: “It is the hour now for you to wake from sleep. The night is far gone; the day is at hand.” The sleep St Paul talks about here is not the kind of sleep you wake from with an alarm clock. It is the spiritual drowsiness that comes from being too comfortable, too distracted, or too busy. Sometimes we don’t even notice that our prayer life has cooled, that we are becoming more hot tempered, more fault-finding, less patient, speaking more sharply, forgiving less easily, or carrying resentments like a carryon luggage we must never put down.
Advent is the alarm clock of grace, a season to wake up, to light up, and to look up again. In today’s Gospel passage, Jesus warns His disciples to stay awake, because the Son of Man will come at an hour we do not expect. He is not trying to scare us. He says these words to save us from sleepwalking through life. He gave the example of the people before the flood, who were eating, drinking, and marrying, while Noah was building the ark. Eating, drinking, and marrying, were not bad things in themselves, but the people were so caught up in the ordinary that they missed the extraordinary moment of grace right in front of them. They were so comfortable in the darkness that they refused to take advantage of the light right in front of them. The problem was not what they were doing, it was what they were not noticing. Come to think of it: Every year, we rush decorations, sales, parties, and errands. We stress about giving the perfect gift, but forget the One who is the gift. We make room in our calendars for everything, except Christ.
Every one of us has that divine spark, a light that came alive in us at baptism. But we often cover it up with worry, pride, resentment, or busyness. Advent is the time to clear away what dims the flame. It is the season to let God rekindle that inner fire, so that when the true Light comes, he finds us already shining.
Here are some practical steps to help us in our journey of faith during this advent season. Instead of adding to the noise, we could do something simple but sacred: Light your Advent candle each night and spend a moment in quiet gratitude with the Lord. Reconcile with someone you have been avoiding. Choose to forgive rather than hold on. Spend less time shopping for presents and more time being present. Be light to someone who is walking through their own darkness by genuinely listening to them, and helping in whatever way within your reach.
So as we begin this new liturgical year, let us start not with noise, but with light. Not with shopping lists, but with open hearts; hearts that are open to God and that reach out to others. Not with hurry, but with hope. In the first reading, Isaiah dreams of a world where people swords become plowshares and nations learn war no more. That dream begins not in governments or palaces, it begins in the heart of every believer who wakes up and decides, “Now is the time.” Now is the time to forgive. Now is the time to start again. Now is the time to let light win over darkness. Yes, not tomorrow, but now.
Homily for 1st Sunday of Advent Year A 2025
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