Homily 1st Sunday of Advent Year A I Homily 30 November 2025 Year A

 1st Sunday of Advent

My dear friends, today we begin the new liturgical year with the First Sunday of Advent in

Year A and before we rush into Christmas lights and carols, the Church gently taps us on the

shoulder and says: Wake up. Look deeper. God is coming.

The first reading taken from Isaiah presents a beautiful and hopeful vision given to the

prophet Isaiah for Judah and Jerusalem. Isaiah lived during a turbulent period when the

Assyrian empire was growing in power and surrounding nations were constantly at war. The

people of Judah were anxious, uncertain, and tempted to rely on political alliances rather than

on God. Into this atmosphere of fear, Isaiah announces a promise of peace and restoration.

The passage begins with the image of the “mountain of the Lord’s house” being lifted high

above other mountains. In biblical language, mountains often represent places of encounter

with God. By raising this mountain, God shows that His presence and His ways will become

a guiding light for all people. Nations will “stream” toward this mountain, signifying people

from every corner of the earth seeking God’s wisdom. From Jerusalem, God’s word goes

forth, offering guidance that brings justice. He becomes the one who settles disputes between

peoples resulting in the transformation of the world. Weapons of destruction are turned into

tools for growth and war training is replaced by learning the ways of peace. It is a vision of a

world where God’s truth reshapes hearts, societies, and international relationships. The

passage ends with a call: “Come, house of Jacob, let us walk in the light of the Lord.” Isaiah

invites his own community not just to admire the vision but to begin living it. This reading

reminds us that even in troubled times, God offers a hope-filled future. Advent is a season

that invites us to return to God’s light—to practice peace in our families, communities, and

hearts. When we choose forgiveness over anger, dialogue over division, and compassion over

fear, we take small but real steps toward Isaiah’s vision. God’s peace begins with us.

In the second reading taken from St. Paul’s letter to the Romans, Paul speaks to the Christians

in Rome, reminding them that the time to live faithfully is now. The early Church was

waiting eagerly for Christ’s return, but many had grown tired or distracted. Paul’s message is

urgent: “Wake up! Salvation is nearer now than when we first believed.” Paul uses the image

of waking up from sleep. Sleep here represents spiritual laziness, distractions, and habits that

keep us far from God. Paul then speaks of night and day. Night symbolizes sin, darkness, and

the old way of living. Day represents God’s light, truth, and the new life Jesus brings.

Because the “day is at hand,” Paul urges the community to put aside the “deeds of darkness.”

These are behaviours that harm their relationship with God and others—fighting, jealousy,

drunkenness, impurity, and selfish desires. Instead of these, Paul invites them to “put on the

armor of light.” This means choosing actions that protect and strengthen their spiritual life:

honesty, kindness, purity, self-control, and love. Finally, Paul says, “Put on the Lord Jesus

Christ.” This is the heart of the passage. To “put on” Christ means to allow His character, His

priorities, and His love to shape every part of our lives. It is like clothing ourselves with His

way of thinking, speaking, and acting. We all know how easy it is to slip into old habits, to

become spiritually sleepy, or to let anger, jealousy, or selfishness creep in. Advent reminds us

that Jesus is near—coming into the world, coming into our hearts, and coming again in glory.

When we “put on Christ,” we live with hope, clarity, and joy. We become people of the light,

ready for His coming.

Come December, we enter the season of house cleaning. Parents constantly remind their

children to clean their rooms, and the children typically respond, “Don’t worry mamma,

Christmas is a long way away. I’ll clean my room tomorrow.” This everyday example

captures the message of today’s Gospel: we don’t always get a tomorrow.

Jesus speaks about His coming using strong, surprising images. He compares the time of His

return to the days of Noah. People then were eating, drinking, marrying, living their normal

lives—and suddenly the flood came. Not because they were doing bad things, but because

they were spiritually asleep, unaware of God’s call. Jesus warns His disciples that His coming

will also be sudden and unexpected. Jesus then gives two short examples: two people in the

field and two women grinding grain. One is taken, the other left. This is not about the modern

idea of the “rapture.” Jesus is not talking about disappearing people, but about being

spiritually ready. Jesus uses a final image: a homeowner who would have stayed awake if he

knew a thief was coming. In the same way, we must “stay awake”—not physically, but

spiritually. This means living with awareness, prayerfulness, and sincerity.

Advent begins with this wake-up call. Jesus reminds us that we cannot postpone our spiritual

lives. “Cleaning your house can wait,” but cleaning your heart cannot. In the Spiritual

Exercises, St. Ignatius Loyola uses the contemplation of one's deathbed perspective as a

powerful tool for discernment, encouraging a life lived in alignment with one's ultimate

purpose: to praise, reverence, and serve God. The core message is not merely about fearing

death, but about using its certainty to inform how one makes free and unattached choices

today. If today were to be your last day, what would truly matter? This question puts life in its

right perspective.

The season of Advent calls us to wake up, to live fully, to love deeply, and to walk closely

with the Lord. What is the one thing that you are being invited to change in your life this

advent? Though we may be tempted to say, “I’ll pray later… I’ll change later… I’ll forgive

later.” Jesus tells us clearly: Later is not guaranteed. The best preparation for His coming is

not fear but faithfulness—living each day aware of God’s presence. When our hearts are

ready, His coming—whenever it happens—will be a moment of joy, not fear. May God bless

us all.