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Gospel Reading for November 30, 2025 – Matthew 24: 37-44
THE VERY BEST
First Sunday of Advent
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.”
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This is the start of the Liturgical Year of the Church. Yes, we do not start it on January 1st but on the first Sunday of Advent – the season of waiting and preparing for God’s coming, or 4 Sundays before Christmas day.
We Filipinos are well known for our hospitality especially to guests who we invite to our homes. Whatever kind of home we have – rich, middle or lower class, we always offer THE BEST accommodation. Sometimes, we even offer food that we do not buy often because it is expensive. If they come from abroad, we even offer to fetch them from, and bring them to, the airport. If they are foreigners, we offer to bring them around the metropolis. All and more of these, we will do for our guests whose visit we joyfully anticipate.
This kind of attitude will be very good when we prepare for Christmas day or for the hour we do not expect the Son of Man will come. For Christmas, we can offer him THE VERY BEST of ourselves by responding to his words in Matthew 25: 40 – “Whatever you do to the least of my brothers you do to me.” In the Philippines, christmas songs are played inside the mall starting September, which we call the “ber” months. Of course, we know that it is a way to remind us to start shopping. Perhaps, if we shop for those in need around us, those who are not as blessed as we are, it is one way of offering him THE VERY BEST of ourselves. Let us remember that Christmas is that day when God gifted himself to us through Jesus. Christmas is not about receiving gifts but giving gifts. As the song goes, “Give love on Christmas Day!”
If this will be our practice not only during Christmas but the whole year round, we can joyfully anticipate Christ’s second coming!
“O come, o come Emmanuel!”
