Stay Awake

November 30, 2025 First Sunday of Advent 
Daily Readings: Isaiah 2:1-5; Romans 13:11-14; Matthew 24:37-44

Children of God, one of the places that are on my list to see before I die is: The Great Wall of China. It was built over centuries as a defense against invading armies. Stretching 3,170 miles, it was a symbol of majestic watchfulness and protection. Guards were stationed along its towers day and night, always vigilant, because an unguarded moment could mean disaster for the entire kingdom. The Great Wall reminds me that a people who stay alert can protect what is precious.

In Matthew 24:42, Jesus gives us a similar message: “Stay awake, for you do not know on which day your Lord will come.” He reminds His disciples of the days of Noah — when people were eating, drinking, and marrying, unaware of the flood that was about to come. It is not that these activities were evil, but that people lived without vigilance, forgetting to prepare for God.

Advent is exactly this season of watchfulness. Just as the guards of the Great Wall remained awake to protect their nation, so we are also called to stay spiritually awake to protect our souls. The coming of Christ — both at Christmas and at the end of time — is certain, but the exact hour is not. Therefore, to live with vigilance is not about fear, but about living each day ready to welcome the Lord.

How do we keep watch? By prayer that keeps our hearts open, by works of charity that keep our hands busy, and by living our faith daily, even in small things. Advent is not simply about counting days to Christmas; it is about counting every day as an opportunity to meet Christ: in the poor, in our families, and in our hearts.

Children of God, so as we light the first candle of Advent, let us ask the Lord for the grace to be vigilant like the watchmen on the wall — always ready, always faithful, always prepared to welcome Christ who comes.