“Stay awake”

We often reflect on the past year when December comes, examining and pondering our lives. But Advent, as observed in the church calendar is different. It is not merely about closure; it’s about a new beginning. As we await the coming of Jesus, we discover buds of hope sprouting, even amidst the world’s despair. Some carry the wounds of the past, others the weight of broken dreams, and still others the shadow of loss.

Looking back on 2024, it has been a challenging year for many around the world. The devastating earthquake in Turkey and Syria claimed tens of thousands of lives and left millions homeless. The war in Ukraine, which began in 2022, continues to bring pain and destruction, while conflict in the Middle East, particularly between Israel and Lebanon, grows worse.

What about climate change? We are witnessing increasingly extreme events such as heatwaves, bushfires, floods, and heavy snowfall. This has forced millions of people and animals to become environmental refugees. Discrimination and violence against ethnic minorities and refugees persist in many parts of the world, and hate crimes based on race, gender, and sexual orientation remain ongoing issues.

Since biblical times, these struggles have echoed through human history, and they continue even now. Today’s passage from Luke speaks of signs of the last days and the end times. It mentions natural disasters like earthquakes, famines, and disease, along with strange signs in the heavens—disturbances with the sun, moon, and stars, causing chaos in the natural world. It foretells the destruction of Jerusalem. Additionally, Matthew’s Gospel warns of increasing wars and conflicts between nations, the growing coldness of love, and the rampant spread of sin. Religious signs, too, are mentioned with stories of false prophets and false Christs.

In today’s text, verse 31 says, “When you see these things taking place, you know that the kingdom of God is near. Truly, I tell you, this generation will not pass away until all things have taken  place.” It continues: “Be on guard so that your hearts are not weighed down with dissipation and drunkenness and the worries of this life, and that day does not catch you unexpectedly, like a trap. For it will come upon all who live on the face of the whole earth.” Jesus urges us to stay awake and pray that we may stand before the Son of Man.

What is Luke trying to tell us? Is the passage really predicting the end of the world? What lesson does this text offer us as we light the first candle of hope on this Advent Sunday?

The Bible views this world as God’s creation. God is good and just, and therefore His creation is also good and just. Genesis testifies that God declared the world beautiful when He created it. Even during Noah’s time, when human sin brought judgment through the flood, God showed the rainbow as a promise that such destruction would not happen again. Despite floods, earthquakes, and tsunamis, the foundation of the world God created remains unshaken.

So why does the Bible speak of the sun, moon, and stars trembling and the sea and the earth being shaken? Does this align with doomsday prophecies like those of Nostradamus? No, the Bible’s perspective on the end is not about destruction but about renewal and restoration. It is not about death but life. It is not about interruption but completion. Luke describes this vision as the Son of Man coming in a cloud with power and great glory.

Who is this Son of Man? He is the reason we begin Advent—Jesus, the baby born in Bethlehem. In verse 33, Jesus declares, “Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will never pass away.” He is the Word made flesh, the hope born in the manger of Bethlehem, and the hope reborn from the empty tomb.

This is the hope we pray for and dedicate ourselves to be fragile yet vibrant branches embodying God’s life and love in a hurting and broken world. This hope is also the righteous branch spoken of in Jeremiah 33:14-16:
“The days are surely coming, says the Lord, when I will fulfill the promise I made to the house of Israel and the house of Judah. In those days and at that time, I will cause a righteous Branch to spring up for David; and he shall execute justice and righteousness in the land.”

The righteous branch is none other than Jesus Christ. He is our hope, bringing justice and peace to the world and fulfilling God’s promises through His life, death, and resurrection.

So, let us pray and commit ourselves to be messengers of this hope. Let us become seeds of hope, planted to grow and flourish in our communities. May our acts of love and compassion, however small, spread God’s love and transform the lives around us.

This Advent, as we light the candle of hope, let us live as people of hope, reflecting God’s light into the darkness of the world. May God’s justice and peace flow through us, illuminating His kingdom here on earth. Amen.