The Coming of Christ

The Church asks us to understand that Christ, who came once in the flesh, is prepared to come again.  When we remove all obstacles to his presence he will come, at any hour and moment, to dwell spiritually in our hearts, bringing with him the riches of his grace.         

                                               Charles Borromeo, The Office of Readings, Advent

 Advent and Christmas are not simply a time to look back in wonder at the story of Jesus’ birth. These short liturgical seasons remind us that hope entered the world in human form… and changed everything.  The humble beginnings of Jesus’ life, unnoticed by most, were the continuation of a process that began with creation, and has been unfolding ever since. The gospel story from Matthew which began our Advent journey, is not about the end of things, but about their fulfillment: But about that day and hour no one knows, neither the angels of heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father…and they knew nothing until the flood came and swept them all away, so too will be the coming of the Son of Man (Mt 24). All history is moving, not towards destruction, but to completion, and we are part of this movement.

Advent and Christmas invite us to see our lives in this larger perspective. Christ’s coming into the world is not limited to a brief 33 years, but is an unfolding process which we are drawn into by faith. In, The Advent of Salvation, Jean Danielou SJ, writes, ‘…he is always he who is to come in the world and the church – there is always Advent going on.’

Our fidelity to the commitments we have as Oblates and Oblate Associates are part of this unfolding:  in our presence to the poor on the streets of Vancouver, Edmonton and Hamilton; in our work with young people in Ottawa, St. Albert and Saskatoon; in our three retreat houses, and in our ministry with indigenous peoples from the south of the country to the far north, and in our administration and internal ministries. It unfolds too in our communities: through the devoted prayer of our elders, and the hospitality we offer those who come through our doors. In our growth in Kenya, and even in our diminishment, there is Advent going on. It’s all around us, if we have eyes to see it.

As we move from Advent into Christmas in the days to come, I invite each of you, Oblates and Associates, to spend some time quietly and prayerfully considering the wonder of Christ’s coming in us and among us.

With my prayers for a blessed and peaceful Christmas,

Fr. Ken Thorson, OMI