We begin this season of advent with the hope of the birth of the messiah. During the next four weeks the liturgy of the church will prepare us for the celebration of Christmas, the coming of Christ into the world.

On this first Sunday of Advent, the church invites us to reflect not only on the coming of Christ on Christmas, but also calls us to prepare for his second coming, the final judgment. We have to be alert and vigilant because we will not know the hour or the day that the Lord will return.

Dear fellow disciples, peace.

The humanity of Jesus was provoked until the end. Hanging on the cross He was a victim of bullying and abuse, insults and infamous accusations, but He stayed firm in His purpose. He even had words of forgiveness for a fellow crucified man who recognized Him as the King announced by the prophets. That man, by saying "Remember when you come into your kingdom", recognized a royalty of the King who passed through the cross. A King whose throne is the cross and whose crowd is made of thorns. "Today you will be with me in paradise" is the answer and recompense for such faith and trust.

Dear fellow disciples, peace.

The primitive christian communities lived in the context and the pressure of false alarms regarding the end of time. This instability started to discourage them in the practice of good works because fear paralyzed their life of gospel values.

Jesus calls their attention to the opportunity to witness the faith, not worrying too much about false alarms. He assures that in every situation the early church would have the possibility to experience God's care and protection. The Father would give to them the necessary strength not to be intimidated and not to give in to the attacks of their adversaries.

Dear fellow disciples, peace.

The sect of the Sadducee was a fundamentalist group who denied the resurrection, as they disregarded the Law of Moses. In fact, the understanding of the destiny of humanity after death had been the subject of a long reflection. It was thought then that all, good and bad, had the same destiny, the Sheol. A place in the heart of the earth, where people would live in darkness.