SECOND SUNDAY OF ADVENT
Bar 5:1-9 Phil 1:4-6, 8-11; Lk 3:1-6

PREPARE!

Fail to prepare and prepare to fail! This is an old saying that cautions us against randomly approaching situations in life. Success begins with the preparation stage. There is an ad running on television these days for a gym equipment called TONAL; it features LeBron James who says something to the effect that: :Everything you see me do is made possible by what you don’t.” We admire the athletes, the cooks, the
preachers, etc. who impress us. Their success is not by chance even though some may be naturally endowed, but talent can only take you so far. They spend quite some time learning their craft, rehearsing, conditioning, whatever it takes, before they ever show up with the final product. In a way, that is the message of Advent.

Advent is the season for us not to just think hard about how we are preparing for the second coming of our Lord as judge, but to do all the necessary preparation. While it is true that some are more spiritually disposed to be successful, we must do the preparation work away from the limelight. This means private prayer, charitable deeds, accessing the confessional, and spiritual reading, among other things. The success we seek is a favorable judgment at the end of our life. If we fail to prepare for it now, then we should know we have prepared to fail then.

Come Lord Jesus do not delay! Maranatha!