Homily for the 1st Sunday of Advent Year C
Theme: YOUR LIBERATION IS NEAR.
By: Fr. Gerald M. Musa
Homily for Sunday November 28 2021
Jeremiah 33:14-16; 1 Thessalonians 3:12-4:2; Luke 21:25-28.34-36.
Preparation is important for any upcoming and important event. The season of advent provides us with the opportunity of preparing spiritually for Christmas. During this season we reflect specially on our liberation from the shackles of sin and bondage. The prophet Jeremiah proclaimed the co forth from David. He refers to this liberator as the ing of a liberator (Jesus) who will spring “Righteous branch” (Jeremiah 33:15). The prophet assured the people of Israel that God would fulfill his promise to liberate them from Babylon where they were held captive for 70 years. Beyond liberating them from the clutches of Babylon, he would also liberate them from slavery to sin. Jesus proved to be that liberator who declared to his listeners: “Your liberation is drawing near” (Luke 21:28). We all want to be liberated from the many situations that hold us down. The French philosopher, Jean-Jacques Rousseau says, Man is born free, and everywhere he is in chains.” We are certainly chained by many circumstances in life, socially, politically, economically and spiritually. In fact, it is the liberating grace of God that delivers us from the bondage of falsehood, fear and anxiety, apathy and anger. The season of advent is a time to ask, “How is my personal journey of liberation going?”