(This is the first in a series of reflections on the Sunday Scripture readings of Advent.)
By Amanda Mae Clarke
For The Catholic Messenger
The First Sunday of Advent arrives like a gentle tap on the shoulder — a reminder that while the world rushes into the noise of December, the Church steps quietly into a season of longing, anticipation, and holy expectation. Today’s readings invite us to wake up, to look up, and to begin again. And at the heart of this season stands Mary, our model of patient, hope-filled waiting.
Isaiah gives us a vision of a world transformed by God: “They shall beat their swords into plowshares.” He dares to imagine peace in a time of turmoil. Mary lived with that same bold hope. A young woman in a difficult world, she carried within her the promise of the one who brings true peace. Isaiah’s words foreshadow the Messiah, and Mary’s “yes” allowed those words to take flesh. Her waiting was not passive — she bore hope in her very body. She shows us that Advent is not only about longing but about allowing God to reshape us from within. St. Paul urges us to “put on the armor of light,” reminding us that discipleship requires intention. Mary reflects what this looks like: she allowed God’s light to clothe her long before she understood how the story would unfold. She surely had questions and moments of uncertainty, yet she stayed awake to God’s presence.
As we enter Advent, Mary’s example invites us to consider: What parts of our lives need God’s light? What quiet “yes” is he asking of us? What habits or distractions have dulled our spiritual awareness? What keeps us from recognizing Christ in our daily routines? Advent becomes an opportunity to rearrange our priorities so that Christ’s light can reach every corner of our lives. In the Gospel, Jesus speaks words that may feel unsettling: “Stay awake, for you do not know on which day your Lord will come.” At first this may sound like fear, but Jesus is not threatening us — he is trying to awaken us. His message is not about predicting a moment, but about living every moment with the awareness that God is near, that grace is breaking in, and that love is always arriving. Advent teaches us to watch not with anxiety but with expectancy — like waiting for a loved one to return home, knowing their arrival changes everything.
Together, these readings form a single invitation: let Christ find you awake. Awake to His presence in your family. Awake to the quiet movements of the Holy Spirit. Awake to those around you who carry hidden burdens or grief. Awake to the small, daily moments where grace breaks through — moments we often miss when we move too quickly.
This season asks us to slow down enough to notice. Advent lasts only four short weeks, but its purpose is lifelong. It reminds us that God enters the world gently — in whispers, smallness, and unexpected places. The stable in Bethlehem was far from perfect, yet it was prepared with openness, and God’s perfect Son was born through those imperfections. We are called to prepare our own hearts in the same way — not flawlessly, but honestly.
As we light the first candle on the Advent wreath, we hold both darkness and light together. The world is messy, divided, and hungry for peace. And yet we dare to hope. We dare to believe Isaiah’s vision. We dare to stay awake, as Jesus asks, and to begin this sacred season trusting that Christ comes not only at the end of time but now — again and again — into the real, imperfect circumstances of our lives. May we welcome him with hearts awake this Advent season.
(Amanda Mae Clarke is a parishioner at Our Lady of Victory Catholic Church in Davenport. She is the lay director for the parish’s upcoming Women’s CEW Weekend.)
