Sunday 29 November 2020 - First Sunday of Advent - Gospel of Jesus Christ according to Saint Mark 13, 33-37 - Lord, show us your love and give us your salvation.

Dear Christians, today is the First Sunday of Advent. Congratulations on this new liturgical year. May it be a good year for us. The Church exhorts us to invoke the Lord: "Come, Lord". It is a sincere cry and plea for salvation. Moreover we proclaim in the Creed that Christ will come in glory, to judge the living and the dead: this is the salvation of those who believe.

The best attitude in waiting for the Lord is to be always ready. "Keep watch" is the leitmotif of today's Gospel. It is not only for the possible coming of a thief that we must watch out, but above all to be prompt to answer the Lord and to open it as soon as He knocks at the door.

Is the Lord really absent? Has He gone far? We are beloved children, trustworthy children who do not need to be watched over all the time. It is also important and prudent to maintain the trust established. If this trust has been betrayed: the time of Advent is a good time to repent in order to restore this trust from God.

The Gospel places particular emphasis on the work of the porter, for he sees all who enter and leave. This seems to refer to Peter, who was the first of the apostles, but also to those who have special responsibilities in the Church: be the first to bend to the Lord's will.

May we remain faithful to the end, ready to receive the Lord so that we may be worthy to rejoice with Him in His eternal dwelling place.