St. Paul gives us a wake-up call, much like a coach at half time when his/her team is behind and not playing well.

As you know the Parousia is Jesus’ return and the end of the world as we know it; Jesus’ Second Coming.  We need to prepare for His return by living like His return is later today!   




We should live in Hope and with Hope because Jesus who loves us is watching over us.  With the holidays approaching anxiety is on the rise.  de Sales said, “With the single exception of sin, anxiety is the greatest evil that can happen to a soul.”

Let me share this story with you,  A businessman, who prides himself on efficiency, needs a few things at the grocery store.  He estimates that it will take him 30 minutes to complete his shopping. 

Once at the store, he flies through the aisles, picking up the items on his list.  He’s on cruise control – until he runs into an elderly couple looking at laundry detergent, their cart blocking the aisle. 

They fumble through coupons and debate the merits of TIDE vs. WISK.  They finally move one, completely oblivious to the man in a hurry.  UNBELIEVABLE!!  He encounters the couple again at the dairy case.  The businessman knows exactly what the wants but can’t get to the case until Mom and Pop make their selection. 

CLUELESS!!

At the checkout line, the man in a hurry heads to what looks like an open lane.  But there’s the elderly couple again, slowly unloading their cart, rechecking each item against their list.  The businessman scans the other lanes looking for a faster option.  No luck. 

The elderly woman notices the man’s basket, then whispers something to her husband.  In a gentle friendly voice, the elderly man said: “Hey, why don’t you go ahead of us?  You only have a few things.”

“That’s ok…I’m in no hurry,” the businessman says.  The elderly couple’s kindness has stopped his clock.  It dawns on him that their time is precious, too.  As it turns out, the man misses his 30-minute goal by 5 minutes.  But those 5 minutes were a small price to pay for discovering that only those who give of their time ever own it in the first place.  

Take time to appreciate the goodness and love in your lives; recognize that it is a gift from God.  Let’s try to use this Advent to “stay awake” to the glimpses of the Lord that are in our midst.

May God be Praised!