Fr. Roger J. Landry

Columbia Catholic Ministry, Notre Dame Church, Manhattan

Monday of the First Week of Advent

November 28, 2022

Is 4:2-6, Ps 122, Mt 8:5-11

 

To listen to an audio recording of this homily, please click below: 

https://traffic.libsyn.com/secure/catholicpreaching/11.28.22_Homily_1.mp3

 

The following points were attempted in this homily: 

In Advent, we focus first and foremost on the Lord’s coming. The word Advent itself means “coming” and points to the fact that during this season we renew our awareness that Christ is coming to us in history, mystery and majesty: history in Bethlehem; mystery in the Sacraments, prayer and in those made in his image and likeness; and in majesty at the end of time and the end of our lives. But we don’t wait passively. Christ’s coming is not the only action in this season. As we prayed yesterday in the collect to begin the Mass, we beg the Father for the grace of “resolve to run forth to meet” his Son “with righteous deeds at his coming.” Like the wise bridesmaids in Jesus’ parable (Mt 25), we head out to meet him not merely at times that are convenient but in the middle of the night with lighted lamps. For us to run forth, we need to train, like sprinters in track-and-field, and train not just our physical muscles but our heart and spirit. “Running” to meet Christ who is coming is not principally something external, but interior. Today’s readings, especially the figure of the Roman Centurion in the Gospel, models for us those interior virtues we need this Advent and beyond to run out to encounter the Lord. In the Gospel, the centurion hears that Jesus is on his way to Capernaum, but he’s not content just to wait for him to show up. He goes out to meet him along the way and meets him at the edge of the city. And he went out with various essential Advent attributes.

First, he went out to meet him with faith. Jesus is amazed that he, a non-Jew, has so much faith and exclaims, “In no one in Israel have I found such faith.” The Centurion had a confident assurance that God could give him the miracle that he sought, even if he didn’t see it done. At the beginning of Advent, we can assess whether we go out to meet the Lord in history, mystery and majesty with this type of faith.

The second Advent disposition we see in the Centurion is what is at the root of that faith, a sense of obedience that makes him trust in the Lord’s authority. “I too am a man subject to authority,” he said, “with soldiers subject to me. And I say to one, ‘Go,’ and he goes; and to another, ‘Come here,’ and he comes; and to my slave, ‘Do this,’ and he does it.” The Lord Jesus was amazed at that confident faith, something that came from regular obedience of those in authority and grasping with what authority Christ himself must be acting. To be obedient is to act on what one hears. In Hebrew to “hear” and to “obey” are the same word when it comes to hearing God. That’s why St. Paul in his letter to the Romans talked about the goal of the Christian life as the “obedience of faith” (Rom 1:5, 16:26). Faith leads to obedience and obedience similarly strengthens our faith, since we know that the Lord acts with the authority of the one who created the heavens and the earth. Advent is a time to run forth in faith-filled obedience to God and his commands.

The third Advent virtue also strengthens our faith. It’s humility. When Jesus, having encountered the Centurion who had “run” out to him, says that he will come to the his home to heal his servant, the Centurion replies that he is not worthy to have Jesus enter his home. Even though he was a powerful leader in the Roman army with many men subject to his beck and call, he was still humble and recognized before Jesus that he did not merit even a visit.