Jesus has chosen and brought us to his house.  And he has assigned us tasks that we have to carry out as we wait for him to come back.

There are not a few of us who do not do not fulfill our assigned tasks.  Is this due to our not being of those who are wise, hard-working, daring and enterprising?  And since our Lord has delayed a long time, are we not, then, less eager, passionate and excited to carry out our tasks?

But in any case, there is, of course, a warning for us who do not take our tasks in earnest.  For our Lord does not want to find us sleeping when he comes back.  Yet what he says to us who slack off, he says to all: “Watch!”

Yes, he urges all of us who say we are his to watch.  And we have to do so; we do not know when he will come back.  We do not know if he will arrive in the evening, at midnight, at cockcrow or at dawn. Clearly, we cannot go to sleep; we must stay awake. 

And we have to watch like the gatekeeper (Comentarios al evangelio 6 y 8).  Or a gambler who waits for his lucky number or the prophet who looks for signs.  Or a lover who longs for her beloved or a bodyguard who looks out for the one in his care.

That is to say, Jesus asks us whom he has brought us to his house to keep alive his spirit among us.  And he is the only Lord of the house, yet he serves others.  Hence, to keep alive his spirit means to accept that we are all servants, not masters.  We, then, should do our tasks and contribute to making the world more just, caring and fit for humans.  And if we do so passion, eagerness and excitement, we will show clearly that we watch and stay awake.

Lord Jesus, grant that we know love in your house, in particular, your inventive love, so that we may not forget you and our hearts may not grow cold (SV.EN:131).  And let us not tire of finding out what you would do if you were in our place, so that we may know the right tasks to carry out.

3 December 2023
First Sunday of Advent (B)
Is 63, 16b-17. 19b; 64, 2-7; 1 Cor 1, 3-9; Mk 13, 33-37