Today’s Scripture Readings

For as the days of Noah were, so will be the coming of the Son of Man. For as in those days before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day Noah entered the ark, and they knew nothing until the flood came and swept them all away, so too will be the coming of the Son of Man. Then two will be in the field; one will be taken and one will be left. Two women will be grinding meal together; one will be taken and one will be left. Keep awake therefore, for you do not know on what day your Lord is coming. But understand this: if the owner of the house had known in what part of the night the thief was coming, he would have stayed awake and would not have let his house be broken into. Therefore you also must be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an unexpected hour.

Today marks the beginning of the season of Advent. Scripture offers us a grace-filled summons: come, ascend, and keep awake. Advent is far more than a countdown to Christmas. It is a sacred season of preparation, hope, and waiting that gives direction and purpose to our lives. It is a time to pause, to reorient our hearts, and to walk with longing and readiness toward the one who is coming.

Advent is also a season of watching and waiting with hope. Jesus, in Matthew’s Gospel, reminds us to ‘’Keep awake”. Keeping awake is to live with our hearts open and our eyes attuned to the quiet ways that Christ is present in our lives every day. He is not only the One who came in history, or will come again in glory, but the One who comes now. Christ comes now, in the silence of prayer, in the needs of others, and in the ordinary events of our daily lives. Whether it is a child’s laugh, the rustle of the wind, or the stillness of dawn, Christ is present.

This is the heart of Advent: spending time with the Lord, welcoming Christ anew, and opening our hearts so that we might become more like him. We look to Mary, who prepared to give birth to God. So, too, are we, through our Baptism, called to bring Christ to life in our world. Baptism is not a one-day event; it is an invitation to live, grow, and become Christ’s presence in the world.

Let us begin this Advent journey by going up the mountain. Let this be our prayer: that we may be awake, with lamps lit, hearts prepared and lives ready to receive the Lord whenever and however he comes.