Father Rick Bolte's Homily

A: First Sunday in Advent                                               2007-12-02

Are we with the psalmist ready to go rejoicing to the mountain of God?  What are we expecting God to offer us?  Is heaven beautifully manicured golf courses where we can play all day and every drive is straight and long?  Is it eating anything we want, including all sorts of delicious chocolate, without gaining a pound?  Interestingly, as we try to imagine what heaven and God’s kingdom might be like, we usually use images of things we enjoy that are limited to our earthly existence.

Yet we hear in today’s second reading that Paul tells us not to give in to pursuing earthly desires.  Is this a trade off, pretend we don’t want these earthly things for now so that we can get them without limit later?  I doubt God is inviting us to play such games. 

Paul refers to this longing for the things of this world as being asleep and living in darkness.  We are called to be awake to the light.  God’s gift of eternal life is not a return to darkness but to dwell in the light.  To dwell in the light is to see things as they really are; to recognize all for its true value.  In preparation for Christmas, when we get beyond the shopping, decorating, and partying, we think of Christmas as a family time.  Many Christmas shows bring on the sensation of the warmth and the closeness we wish for in our families.  This is certainly nearer our heart than the others.  But there is still the reality that we can’t control our family get-togethers.  There’s no guarantee that our efforts will be appreciated, that everyone will be cooperative, or that everyone will get along.

But we do long for that warmth and closeness.  The challenge is to let go of trying to make it happen and simply receive it as a gift when it does come.  All that any of us can experience are glimpses of what God’s kingdom is about.  We find it in those moments of openness, honesty, and acceptance with one another.  These glimpses of the kingdom spur us on but they only point to what is our heart’s desire.  We need to be awake and attentive to notice and be guided by them.  Ultimately there is only one who can fulfill our heart’s desire.  Someday, all nations will stream toward it and walk in the light of the Lord.