Dear brothers and sisters, I would like us to begin our meditation with today’s Psalm: “In his days justice shall flourish, and peace till the moon fails.” As we prepare for the coming of Christ, let us keep this Psalm close to our hearts. In his days, in the presence of Christ, justice shall flourish and peace shall reign. There can be no room for Christ and injustice together, no space where Christ and hatred coexist.
In the first reading, the prophet Isaiah presents the harmony that comes with the presence of the Messiah. He speaks of a world without contradiction: “The wolf shall live with the lamb; the panther lies down with the kid; the calf and the lion feed together; the lion shall eat straw like the ox. The infant shall play over the cobra’s hole; into the viper’s lair the young child shall put his hand.” In ordinary life, we cannot imagine a wolf living peacefully with a lamb, or a lion working alongside a calf. But where Christ is present, hatred disappears, and injustice loses its power. As Psalm 16:11 reminds us, “In the presence of the Lord there is fullness of joy.”
Dear Christians, many of us-if not all-long for this joy, this peace, this love: in our hearts, in our families, and in our country. Only in Christ can we find true joy, true peace, true love, for Christ is the fullness of God’s grace given to us. In his days justice shall flourish and peace till the moon fails. However, dear brothers and sisters, Christ is already present among us. He promised in Matthew 28:20, “I am with you always, until the end of time.” The real question is: are we present to Him? This is the meaning of Advent: not merely waiting for Christmas as a date but preparing ourselves to be present with the Lord once more. Christmas is symbolic, yes, but in the wisdom of the Church it becomes a moment of renewal, an opportunity to return to Christ with our whole heart. To be with Him means to examine our lives and see where we must change, because sin distances us from God.
This is why, in today’s Gospel, John the Baptist tells the Pharisees and Sadducees to produce good fruit as evidence of their repentance. During these weeks of Advent and throughout the Christmas season, what will be the evidence of our repentance? Will there be a real change in our behavior, in our homes, in our relationships? Or will we celebrate Advent and Christmas as many do who do not know Christ?
In the second reading, Saint Paul encourages the Christians of Rome to give thanks and glorify God, for sustaining them in faith, for helping them remain patient, tolerant, and charitable toward one another. In the same way, Advent and Christmas are not only times for conversion, but also moments to look back on the year with gratitude: to thank God for life, for our successes and failures, for the grace that carried us through challenges, and equally to thank our parents, grandparents, brothers and sisters, and friends for their love, support, and presence. In his days justice shall flourish and peace till the moon falls. This “day” is not only in the future, but it also begins now, in our lives, in our families, in our communities. Let us ask the Lord to fill our hearts, our homes, and our community with His joy, His peace, His wisdom, and His love.
NGALA AUSTIN KANJO
Piarist
Ngala Austin Kanjo is a religious and priest in the Order of the Piarist Schools from the Province of Central Africa. Born in Shisong, Cameroon. He is currently undergoing a master’s program on formation of formators at the Gregorian University.
