Come, let us go up to the mountain of the Lord
First Sunday of Advent - Year A
Isaiah 2:1-5; Romans 13:11-14; Matthew 24:37-44
"As it was in the days of Noah" (Matt. 24:37). The days of Noah were the days of "great man's wickedness" that saddened God's heart so much that He "regretted that He had made man on earth" (Gen. 6:6). The biblical author needed only three chapters (Gen. 4-6) to show us how our ancestors "corrupted" (Gen. 6:12) what was created "very good" (Gen 1:31). And apparently, they did not care. They "were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage" (Matt. 24:38) unaware that God had decided "to put an end to all flesh" (Gen. 6:12).
"Noah found favor with God" (Gen. 6:8), the others did not. Why? He was the righteous one living in an immoral society. They produced the works of darkness: orgies and drunkenness, promiscuity and lust, rivalry and jealousy (Rom. 13:12-13). Noah, however, was blameless in his age (Gen. 6:9). And so, he entered the ark, and the others were carried away by the flood (Matt. 24:38-39). However, till the moment he entered the ark, Noah did not know the date of the flood (Gen 6:13-7:4). We also do not know the hour of the Lord's coming (Matt. 24:42). Therefore, we should not imitate the wicked generation of the days of Noah producing the works of darkness because if we do we shall perish. Instead, we should imitate Noah by putting on "the armor of light" (Rom. 13:12) and "walk in the light of the Lord" (Is. 2:5).
"The days of Noah" represent a new beginning. The earth was cursed because of Adam's sin (Gen 3:17) and the birth of Noah gave humanity hope of being relieved from that curse (Gen 5:29). Noah represents Jesus Christ who alone has provided relief from the curse brought upon the earth by Adam and "the days of Noah" direct our hope towards "the days of the Son of Man" when the entire creation shall be renewed. [movie] We experience "the days of Noah" in the sacrament of baptism. The "old man" with his sins is drowned in the baptismal waters and a "new man" that puts on "the Lord Jesus Christ" is born (Rom. 13:14). In this way, we become a new creation (2 Cor. 5:17).
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"Our salvation is nearer now then when we first believed" (Rom. 13:11). From the day of our baptism with each passing day, we are closer either to the day of Christ's arrival or to the day of our physical death. "The night" that "is advanced" (Rom. 13:12) refers to life in this world which "is passing away" (1 Cor. 7:31). "The day" that "is at hand" (Rom. 13:12) refers to Christ's final coming when justice will finally triumph and universal peace will prevail (Is. 2:4). From the day of baptism "our feet have been standing within your gates, O Jerusalem!" (Ps. 122: 2), the Church, but we long for the day when we shall be standing in the courts of heavenly Jerusalem, where Christ reigns as Lord of the entire universe and the Judge of the nations (Ps. 122:5). What should we do while waiting for this day? Call others to go up to the house of the Lord! (Ps. 122: 1).
"Come, let us go up to the mountain of the Lord, to the house of the God of Jacob" (Is. 2: 3). Why there? Because a project of building society without God has failed (Gen. 11:1-9). And so, our scattered humanity directs its steps towards Mount Zion: "For out of Zion shall go forth the law, and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem" (Ps. 2:4). There, to their amazement, they hear the Good News preached in their languages (Acts 2: 5-11) about God who in his only begotten Son showed us his love and granted us his salvation (Ps. 85:8).