First Sunday of Advent B2

First Sundayof Advent B2

 

From today onwards we are starting Advent Season and a new Liturgical year of Cycle B with readings mainly from the Gospel of Mark, supplemented with the Gospel of john. This gives us a chance to make a fresh start. Advent season is a season of preparation of fixing Jesus in our hearts.

Once there was a round table discussion on religion and freedom in which many theologians and famous religious leaders were present.  Dalai Lama, the Tibetan religious leader and a Brazilian theologian Leonardo Boff were also taking part. During recess, there was a brief discussion between Dalai Lama and Leonardo. Leonardo asked Dalai Lama: “Your holiness, what is the best religion?”

Leonardo thought that he would say: “The Tibetan Buddhism” or “The oriental religions, much older than Christianity.” Dalai Lama paused for a moment, smiled and looked into his eyes and said: “The best religion is the one that gets you closest to God and makes you a better person.” He further asked him: "But what is it, that makes him a better person?"  Dalai Lama responded: “Whatever makes you more compassionate, more sensible, more detached, more loving, more humanitarian, more responsible and more ethical.”  “The religion that will do that for you, is the best religión.”

Leonardo was silent at his wise and irrefutable response. Dalai Lama said, "I am not interested about your religion or if you are religious or not. What really is important to me is your behaviour in front of your friends, your family, your work,  your community, and in front of the world and God." Remember, the universe is the echo of our actions and our thoughts. The law of action and reaction is not exclusively for physics.  It is also of human relations. If I act with goodness, I will receive goodness. If I act with eviI, I will get evil. You will always have what you desire for others. Being happy is not a matter of destiny. It is a matter of options. And finally he said: Be Vigilant and careful at all times in your life.

“Take care of your Thoughts because they become Words.

Take care of your Words because they will become Actions.

Take care of your Actions because they will become Habits.

Take care of your Habits because they will form your Character.

Take care of your Character because it will form your Destiny,

And your Destiny will be your Life. "There is no religion higher than the Truth.”  

And that truth is found in the incarnation which we celebrate year after year and this celebration starts with the preparation of the coming of our Saviour known as Advent. He came two thousands years ago and gave the summary of Dalai Lama's thought on religion in one word, Love. Love God and Love your neighbour, that is the best religion. 

We are preparing ourselves for the coming of Christmas, the birthday anniversary of the Lord's coming into this world as God incarnate. The people of Israel expected  

something profound to happen when God  came to the world. So they were not able to accept Son of God who was born in a manger, born to  an ordinary man and woman. The season of advent is a warning for us not to  wait for something profound to happen as did the people of Jesus times.

The message of Advent is: Live the life in full.  Push the limits, get outside your comfort zone, and make your own path.  Too many of us spend too much time inside, contemplating things that mean nothing,  and complaining about it. It reminds us to leave all comfort and security behind to serve someone, to heal someone, to help someone, to teach someone and to care for someone.  That is what Mary and Joseph did. So they were able to see the Son of God in that infant. That is what the shepherds did. So they were able to see the Son of God in that infant. That is what the Magi did so they were able to see the Son of God in that infant.

In this season of Advent let us follow the example of Mary and extend our little support to our brothers so that when God comes to us we will be able to  recognize and accept him.

***********************************************************************************