This last Sunday in Advent brings us to the brink of Christmas—but we still have one weekend left in this season of preparation. The readings have now changed a bit in direction as we are focusing on the Nativity of the Lord Jesus Christ. What we celebrate in Advent, as I mentioned during the first Sunday of Advent, is Two Comings of Christ: first, we celebrate the Nativity or the birth of baby Jesus—the Incarnation of God into humanity. At this celebration we recall that God so loved the world that He sent His only Son into the world to become one of us—to share in our humanity so that we may come to know what it means to share in His Divine Life. That if we are to live with God for all Eternity, we must begin the journey to Him in the way we live our daily lives out each and every day. How do we pray? How do we listen to God? How to we care about others—both family, friends and strangers alike—and so hear the words of Eucharistic Prayer II (EP
II), “Thank You for counting us worthy to be in Your presence and minister to You.” How do we minister to the God we cannot see (physically)?

The second aspect of these two comings of Christ is the Second Coming, the Day of Judgment. When our Lord will come in glory and call us to Himself for all Eternity. This second coming of Christ is closely connected to the Incarnation or the first coming of Christ. It is the expression of our Lived Faith. As noted above in EP II, we minister to God in the ways we minister to those in need around us: when we share one of our cloaks or offer some of our food, when we extend a prayer for someone suffering, or offer healing to the sick, simply showing concern for the widow or orphan or anyone in need.

These two comings of Christ are certainly connected as both are expressions of a lived faith. The first is God’s expression of His faith and hope in humanity; the latter is our lived faith expressed in hope of sharing in God’s Divine Life for all Eternity—by living this earthly life out in a particularly caring way: the Catholic Christian faith.

May all our Comings and goings be blessedly connected in-and-through our faith and God. Happy
Advent!