Maranatha! Come, o Lord!

CEBU, Philippines - ''Maranatha'' resounds during this advent season.

History tells us that the early church faced much persecution, and the life for a Christian under Roman rule was a matter of survival. Christians could not just simply submit Romans rule that required everyone to declare that Caesar was god, because they knew and they believed that there is only one God and one lord- Jesus Christ. In all good conscience they could not call Caesar "Lord". That is why Romans treated Christian as traitors, look down of them and even worst persecuted them to the point of putting them to death.

Accordingly,    living under that adverse condition, the believers' morale was lifted     by the hope of the coming of the Lord." Maranatha" became the common greeting of the oppressed believers. This word is an Aramaic word that means" the Lord is coming or "come, o Lord". By this, they were constantly reminding and being reminded that the Lord is coming and from this truth they drew great comfort.    

In today's generation I still believe that believers and followers of our lord and savior Jesus Christ express the same hope in the light of the knowledge that He can come at any time. We too are constantly being reminded of the glorious return of our Lord Jesus Christ. The fact that'' No one knows the day or the hour (Mt.25:13). In that case, the only practical thing for us to do is to be always ready and keep our eyes open. Be vigilant and be alert in waiting. We are to be ready when the time comes. Every day we should expect him to come, and every day we should long for him to come.

"Maranatha'' reminds us to keep our eyes on the eternal things to the Spirit. It is a challenge for us not to remain looking downwardly, which only makes us see earthly things, but to gaze our eyes above. Looking up, we see the hope of the soon coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.

According to The Catholic Encyclopedia "During this time the faithful are admonished to prepare themselves worthily to celebrate the anniversary of the Lord's coming into the world as the incarnate God of the love, thus to make abodes for the redeemer coming in Holy Communion and through grace, and thereby to make themselves ready for His final judgment, at death and at the end of the world.

As we journey in this beautiful season of Advent, may it prepares us not only to commemorate Jesus' first ,humble arrival in the manger, but also helps us to fully imbibe Christ in the present lives while anticipating his final, glorious coming. Advent may as well an opportunity to mature in faith in Christ.

Likewise, during our Advent journey, we might come to feel that we are getting nowhere. We might come to feel no extra inspiration or see no spiritual progress in spite our Advent prayers, Masses, and confession. Nevertheless, let us keep moving forward. Let us not give in to discouragement and to stop moving. Even if we see no progress, Let us "live by faith, not by sight''. (2 Cor. 5:7). (FREEMAN)