In today’s first reading Isaiah bemoans the way the Lord has seemingly abandoned the people as they have distanced themselves from God through their waywardness. Since returning from exile, the people had a tough time and, forgetting God’s kindness to them, have reverted to pagan practices.
Jesus in the Gospel speaks of the need to be prepared for God’s coming. Referring specifically to His second coming, Jesus urges hearers to be attentive and vigilant. In effect we’re called to remind ourselves not to allow the divine potter to take His hands off us. Staying awake spiritually is to ensure we remain on the potter’s wheel, a place of safety. We can hear the words of St. Paul encouraging us in this venture, as he reminds us that the Lord will keep us steady and blameless until the last day, if we just let the Lord hold on us.
As we begin our Advent season, the readings are an encouragement to us, even if they may seem quite stark. We are called to remember that God respects the choices we make and so, if we choose to distance ourselves from God, it becomes harder to hear God’s voice. Advent is a wake-up call to bring us from potential slubmer to a new alertness of the immediacy of God’s presence. God is never distant from us. It’s just that sometimes we don’t allow God’s closeness to be apparent to us. Advent can bring us back on track. What is certain, though, as we consider our readiness for Christ’s second coming and prepare to celebrate His incarnation, is that God will never abandon us.