My dear brothers and sisters in Christ: Today is the First Sunday of Advent. It is the New Year of the Church. But take a look at the calend...
My dear brothers and sisters in Christ:
Today is the First Sunday of Advent. It is the New Year of the Church. But take a look at the calendar. It is also November 30, Bonifacio Day. The day we remember a revolution. The day we remember the courage to tear up the cedulas of oppression.
Providence has aligned these two dates for a reason. Because today, the Word of God is not asking us to simply light a purple candle and sing "O Come, O Come, Emmanuel" while closing our eyes to the world. No. The Word of God today is a revolution of the soul.
Our readings scream at us with three commands. Three words that must burn in our hearts as we step out of this church today. Wake. Walk. Watch.
First, WAKE. St. Paul tells the Romans, "It is the hour now for you to awake from sleep." Look around us. For too long, we Filipinos have been sleepwalking. We have been sedated by the entertainment of politics, lulled to sleep by the promise of "resilience" while our future is stolen from under our noses. We heard the news. We know why thousands are gathering at the People Power Monument later today. The "Trillion Peso March." Billions of pesos—money meant for flood control, money meant to keep our children from drowning in the next typhoon—have vanished into the pockets of the corrupt. Paul says, "The night is advanced, the day is at hand." How can we sleep when the poor are drowning? How can we sleep when public service has become a private business? To be a Christian today is to refuse the sedative of indifference. Wake up! Your faith is not a pillow; it is an alarm clock!
Second, WALK. Isaiah prophesies a day when nations shall stream toward the Lord’s mountain, saying, "Come, let us walk in the light of the Lord!" Faith is movement. It is not sitting in a pew comfortably while the world burns. Isaiah speaks of beating swords into plowshares. That requires action. That requires sweat. Today, 86 dioceses across our archipelago are supporting the march against corruption. This is not "politics"; this is moral theology in action. When you steal from the funds meant to protect the people, you are not just a thief; you are a murderer. You might ask, "Father, must I go to the rally?" I answer you: You must walk. If you cannot march on EDSA, march in your conscience. Walk away from the "little corruptions" in your workplace, in your company, even in your communities, in the Church too. Walk away from the lie that "everyone does it." We, the Claretian community, have always stood for the heart of Mary—a heart that pierced the darkness. We must walk in the light, even if we walk alone, even if the road is steep.
Third, WATCH. Jesus in the Gospel warns us: "Stay awake! For you do not know on which day your Lord will come." He compares the coming judgment to a thief in the night. But in our country, the thieves do not come at night. They come in broad daylight, wearing barongs, smiling for the cameras. To "watch" means to be vigilant. It means we stop accepting the unacceptable. It means we guard the sanctity of the truth. Advent is about preparation. When the Son of Man comes, will He find us busy counting our coins, or will He find us busy defending His little ones? To "watch" is to say: "Not on my watch." I will not let lies pass as truth on my watch. I will not let my neighbor go hungry on my watch. I will not let my country be plundered on my watch.
My dear friends, the purple candle is lit. The light is small, but it defies the darkness. Today, on this Bonifacio Day, let us tear up the cedula of our apathy. Wake from your slumber. Walk for justice. Watch for the Lord.
For salvation is nearer now than when we first believed. But it will only come to those who are awake enough to receive it.
Maging gising. Maging matapang. Maging tapat. (Be awake. Be brave. Be true.)
Amen.
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