FIRST WEEK OF ADVENT (C) : Monday, 2nd December 2024

Advent is a season of interior preparation for the
coming of our Saviour. Has our faith increased or is it in
slumber? The encounter betweeen Jesus and the
centurion is intended to illustrate that a Gentile is more
submissive in his belief towards the command of God
compared to the Pharisaic Jews. Jesus astonishingly
declares that He has never seen or heard of faith like
that of the centurion in all of Israel. It is an amazing
faith on the part of a foreigner. Because of his faith, his
request for his servant to be healed is granted.

Therefore, many, like the centurion, from the east
and the west, will be included in the feast of the
kingdom of heaven. Faith draws all of us to God. Like
the vision of Isaiah, many nations will stream towards
the mountain of the Lord. These will hammer their
swords into ploughshares, their spears into sickles, a
depiction of conversion that there will be no more
training for war. What a wonderful thing – faith will also
move us to peace, because there will be no more
discrimination between foreigners and us.

Do I rejoice with the psalmist when I hear people
say: “Let us go to God’s house?” All of us, regardless of
our respective and different backgrounds, can go to
God’s house in peace and harmony. Do I desire for that
day when people will treat each other as brothers and
sisters living in peace?

Lord, I want to walk in the light of faith together
with others.