In this First Sunday of Advent, Holy Mother Church calls us to awaken from spiritual sleep and prepare our hearts for the threefold coming of Christ: His birth in Bethlehem, His daily coming in grace through the Sacraments, and His final coming in glory. St. Paul’s words—“The night is far spent, the day is at hand”—remind us that now is the moment for conversion, purification, and renewed vigilance. The Church Fathers and ancient popes echo this urgency: St. Leo the Great warns us not to be weighed down by the world, while St. Gregory the Great teaches that the coming of Christ is terror for the wicked but consolation for the just. Advent is therefore a season of hopeful expectation, not fear—an invitation to “put on the Lord Jesus Christ” and walk as children of the day.
The Gospel’s imagery of cosmic signs and trembling nations is not meant to frighten the faithful but to awaken the soul to watchfulness. Christ tells us, “Look up and lift your heads, because your redemption is at hand.” For the Vatican in Exile, this season carries special meaning: we are a faithful remnant awaiting renewal, guarding the true Deposit of Faith while longing for the restoration of the Church. Advent urges us to prepare the “manger of the heart” through humility, confession, charity, prayer, and devotion to the Blessed Virgin Mary. With the early Church we pray: “Maranatha—Come, Lord Jesus!” May this holy season deepen our hope and ready our souls for the King who comes.
