First Sunday in Advent: Are Your Bags Packed?

Jesus said to his disciples: “As it was in the days of Noah, so it will be at the coming of the Son of Man. In those days before the flood, they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, up to the day that Noah entered the ark. They did not know until the flood came and carried them all away. So will it be also at the coming of the Son of Man. Two men will be out in the field; one will be taken, and one will be left. Two women will be grinding at the mill; one will be taken, and one will be left. Therefore, stay awake! For you do not know on which day your Lord will come. Be sure of this: if the master of the house had known the hour of night when the thief was coming, he would have stayed awake and not let his house be broken into. So too, you also must be prepared, for at an hour you do not expect, the Son of Man will come.”

Today is the beginning of Advent, the beginning of the new ecclesiastical year. The word Advent comes from the Latin ad-venio, to come to, and as Catholics we are to use this time to prepare ourselves for the coming of the Lord, be it a celebration of his nativity or as described in today's Gospel, his return.

This is a good day to remember that before we know it, we shall be dead. We know not the hour, or the day, of our death, but we know that like the proverbial thief mentioned by Jesus, he will come when we are least prepared.

A friend of mine, Milo, was fond of asking people if their bags were packed. Are your bags packed? Are you ready to die? I like the analogy Milo used because we can all relate to it. All of us have a piece of luggage or two in our basement or in a closet, and we've all had the experience of running around the night before our departure on a vacation hastily throwing items into our suitcase. We've also all had that experience of living out of a suitcase for a while. At first everything is nice and neatly packed, then as the days progress our clothing and personal items leave the suitcase and wind up in the closet, the dresser, the bathroom counter, the floor....


When I receive the Sacrament of Reconciliation, I often feel like I've just gotten everything packed up in my suitcase. I'm ready to go. More than once I've walked out of the Church and half-wished that I would be struck dead right then and there, right after I've been brought back in union with God and before I falter once more and sin. As the day and week go on, I try to keep my bags packed, but a venial sin here and a venial sin there... and before I realize it my luggage is empty, bedroom a mess and I'm in need of reconcilation once more.

The Lord will come when we least expect it. Your death will happen when you least expect it. You may or may not have the opportunity to make amends, ask forgiveness or tell those whom you love how they mean to you. Take some time this Advent and do some packing.