December 9
God will come openly
he present holy
season which we call Advent directs our thoughts to our Lord's twofold
coming. We have therefore a double reason for rejoicing because we are
meant to derive from it a double benefit.
Advent calls to mind the two comings of our Lord: first the coming of
the fairest of the children of Adam and the desire of
all nations, so long awaited and so fervently prayed for by all the
patriarchs, when the Son of God graciously revealed to the world his visible
presence in the flesh, that is to say when he came into the world to save
sinners; the other that second coming to which we look forward no less
than did our ancestors of old. While we await his return our hope is sure
and firm, yet we also frequently remind ourselves with tears of the day
when he who first came to us concealed in our flesh will come again revealed
in the glory which belongs to him as Lord. Of that day the psalmist sings:
God will come openly; it is the Day of Judgment when Christ will
come as judge in the sight of all. Our Lord's first coming was indeed known
only to a small number of good people, but his second will be evident to
good and bad alike, as is clearly made known to us by the prophet's announcement:
All flesh will see the salvation of God.
From John E. Rotelle, O.S.A., Tradition Day by Day: Readings from
Church Writers. Augustinian Press. Villanova, PA, 1994.
HTML text prepared by David P. Steelman
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