It is 27th November 2016. We are celebrating the First Sunday of the Advent. The readings are from Isaiah 2:1-5; and the second reading from Romans 13:11-14; and the Gospel from Matthew 24:27-44. We begin the new liturgical year. We are invited to be ready and be prepared to receive the Lord. We contemplate the First Coming of Jesus as Saviour, and prayerfully waiting for His promised Second Coming. Advent means waiting eagerly for someone we love and cherish and wish to share our time with. It is indeed a joyful waiting with prayer, love and affection for Jesus. Even though he has come into our lives through the Sacrament of Baptism, and the Sacrament of the Holy Eucharist, still we receive Him daily in a special way during this time of Advent. The first reading is the prophecy of incarnation. God invites all people to come near God’s city Jerusalem to acknowledge the kingship of Yahweh. “Come, let us go up to the mountain of the Lord, to the Temple of the God of Jacob that God may teach us God’s ways so that we may walk in God’s paths.” (Is.2:3). The responsorial Psalm sings, “Let us go rejoicing to the house of the Lord.” (Ps.122). St. Paul encourages us to wake up and to live like Christ. He too reminds the Romans that the end will be sudden and in an unexpected moment inviting them to put aside the works of darkness and to put on the armour of light. The Gospel recounts the need for preparedness and readiness to meet the Lord our Redeemer. We grow old, blunt in our spiritual focusing, and indifferent in our relationship with God and people by time. Advent is the time to sharpen or to focus sharply on the desired person of our very existence Jesus himself. We must not engage in decorating the exterior to the extent of neglecting the interior. Advent is the time to decorate and prepare a space for Jesus interiorly no matter how terrible the economical, sociological, psychological and physical condition be. We have the final say over our spiritual welfare not on any other conditions. Therefore let us be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour we do not expect: Jesus is coming into our lives without warning. Kindly consider going for a sincere and soul submitting moment of grace and forgiveness in the Sacrament of Mercy and Reconciliation. May you have a fruitful Advent.