Readings (Year C):
Jeremiah 33:14 – 16
Psalms 25:4 – 5, 8 – 9, 10, 14
1 Thessalonians 3:12 – 4:2
Luke 21:25 – 28, 34 – 36
Reflection: Embody justice in the world
As we begin another liturgical year, our world cries out, begging for peace. On this first Sunday of Advent, God hears the sorrowful laments of many throughout the world, from Ukraine to Sudan to the Middle East. So many of us, myself included, want peace. During these terrible times, I am reminded of Pope Paul VI, who said: “If you want peace, work for justice.” How fitting, then, that our readings today speak of justice, and show us how to embody it.
In the first reading, the prophet Jeremiah relays God’s promise of deliverance and restoration in times of despair. Jeremiah’s words bring us reassurance, with the grounding reminder that God’s promises will come to be. As Christians, we know this promise comes through Christ Jesus.
So, we start the Advent season with this reading in mind. We know that justice is near. Yet we need not wait for justice to arrive to embody it in our lives. As St. Paul reminds the church in today’s second reading: “you know what instructions we gave you through the Lord Jesus.” Here, Paul shows us that we know what to do: we just need to look to Christ to know how to act.
As Paul explains, these instructions contain a call to grow in love for God and our neighbors. Pope Benedict XVI once said that “Justice is the primary way of [love]” and that love completes justice. So, the pursuit of justice, in our words and deeds must be grounded in the love that Christ’s life models for us. We must approach those pushed to the margins like Christ did, restore their dignity through love like Christ did, and walk with them on the long road to justice, like Christ did.
Today’s gospel reading reminds us that this road to justice is not without its trials. Luke notes that during times of tumult, “nations will be in dismay.” How this reading resonates in 2024, when nations buckle under climate destruction, famine, corruption, and death.
As these times wear on us, it is tempting—and often easier—to turn inwards and to ignore the cries of the needy for our own comfort. But this is not God’s redeeming way.
In contrast to our culture of indifference, God calls us to tend to the wounds of the world. Luke’s message is clear: We must stay the path that Christ has laid before us. In trials and tribulations, we must remain steadfast and sober to realize our redemption in serving God and our neighbors. We must turn towards humanity’s pain and remember those who others have forgotten, like Christ, who has never forgotten us.
So, as we await the arrival of Christ this Advent season, we should explore ways to embody God’s justice in the world, following the loving example of our Lord. In doing so, we can bring about the peace that our world so desperately needs.
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