Hope in the Lord’s Coming

HOMILY FOR THE FIRST SUNDAY OF ADVENT, YEAR A BY REV. AUGUSTINE ADETOLA, 11/30/2025.

Welcome to a new liturgical year, the season of Advent. Today, we changed our liturgical color to purple. A royal color and a penitential color as well. Every Advent, we begin a spiritual preparation not only for the Christmas but for the day when Christ will return. The 1st Sunday of Advent Year A is a time of waiting in hope and making spiritual preparations. We look forward to Jesus coming again, and we remember His birth in Bethlehem. It is a season to pray, watch, and live in the light of the Lord.

The main theme of today is to stay awake and not lose guard. Staying awake is being conscious of ourselves and letting go of anything that can stop us from recognizing Jesus whenever he comes. This is the real purpose of Advent. Advent is a time we make spiritual preparation for the coming of Christ. Two things are very important during this season: preparation and waiting. Preparation is about making plans, taking steps and doing something for the coming of Christ. This involves praying, going for confession and even carrying out good deeds.

Waiting on the other hand is a time of reflection and patience. Advent is a time of waiting for the coming of Christ. Waiting can come with anxiety because it is like expecting someone you do not know when he is coming. However, Advent waiting is not that of anxiety but a waiting in hope. During Advent, we practice three kinds of waiting: Waiting patiently, watchful waiting and waiting in hope.

Waiting patiently is about going about doing our work and not focusing on other people’s business. A patient waiting means that we continue doing what is right and good, knowing that whenever Christ comes, we will be ready. Sometimes, it can get frustrating doing good and being a nice person and not getting the reward you feel you deserve. It can make us consider changing who we are and who we are called to be. This is where waiting patiently comes in. To remind ourselves that we are not doing it for earthly reward but for heavenly reward. Isaiah talks of a time when there will be peace and nations will set aside their weapons and will choose understanding over conflict.

Watchful waiting is what Paul talks about in the second reading, getting rid of the works of darkness. Watchful waiting entails being conscious of ourselves and not allowing sin to creep into our lives. St. Paul listed some sins we should be weary off: drunkenness, promiscuity, lust, rivalry and jealousy. These are sins that can lead us away from God and stop us from watchful waiting. St. Paul calls them actions that keeps us in darkness. When we are in darkness, we cannot see the light. We need to get rid of them and come into light.

The third type of waiting we are called to practice during Advent is waiting in hope. The Catechism tells us that Hope is a theological virtue by which we desire the kingdom of heaven and eternal life as our happiness, placing our trust in Christ’s promises and relying not on our own strength, but on the help of the grace of the Holy Spirit (CCC 1817). Waiting in hope means that Jesus will come again to take us to heaven but while waiting, we must be awake to the direction of the Holy Spirit. This is what Jesus means when he says we should stay awake. During Advent, we do not just wait in vain, we wait in hope.

Beloved brothers and sisters, as we begin the season of Advent, let us practice the habit of waiting patiently, waiting in hope and a watchful waiting. Let us not get carried away with the physical preparations for Christmas and forget the spiritual preparations we are called to make. We are called to awake spiritually and keep track of our progress with God. On this first Sunday also, we light the first candle of our Advent wreath which reminds us that hope is a necessary virtue we should have while making spiritual preparations because waiting can be frustrating but with the spiritual virtue of hope, our waiting will be purposeful.

The significance of the candle of hope we light on this first Sunday is to remind us that we should keep the virtue of hope alive throughout this season and every day of our lives and never let it go off.

Loving God, help us to prepare our hearts for the coming of Christ. Lead us to live in peace, kindness, and hope. Let your light guide our path through this Advent season. May we be ready to welcome Jesus into our lives with open and willing hearts. Amen.