During this first week of Advent, Jesus tells us his coming will be like a man travelling abroad. A reflection of what we are like when travelling abroad can begin to give us an indication of what Jesus means by this comparison. A lot of preparation goes into travelling abroad. One has to apply and pay for a visa; this is not a guarantee that the
visa will be granted. For the visa application to be considered, it needs to be accompanied by many documents: the confirmation of booked flight tickets, travel insurance in case something happens to you and medical assistance is required, proof of accommodation for your stay abroad, a bank statement with a good positive bank balance to prove to the country you are travelling to that you can take care of yourself. The list of requirements can go on.
This speaks to being prepared for the unknown, thinking about all that you might need or want to do, then making a plan for that, and thinking of what to do in case of emergencies. When we travel, we prepare for the unknown. So Jesus tells us in the Gospel to be ready because we do not know when he will come. While preparing to travel abroad might be tedious, it makes up for the rich travel experiences once we
have satisfied all the requirements.
I believe the difference between preparing to travel abroad and the coming of Jesus is the preparation. While the unknown waits for us in our travels, we know exactly what we need to do to prepare ourselves for the coming of Jesus. Jesus encourages us to love our neighbour, fight for justice and peace, and care for our societies'
poor. By doing these things, Jesus tells us how we ought to prepare for his coming. Although the timing of his coming is unknown, we know he is surely coming.
At the beginning of this Advent Season, what might the Lord invite you to do to prepare for his coming? Spend a few moments with the Lord in prayer today and ask him to show you how you can better prepare
yourself for his advent.
Reflections by Morongoa Selepe
