Challenge in the Season of Advent
(Erico Joseph T. Cañete)
Advent is the season that brings to mind the two comings of Christ, i.e. as a season to prepare oneself for Christmas when Christ’s first coming to us is remembered and, as a season when that remembrance directs the mind and heart to await Christ’s Second coming at the end of time.
On top of being a period for devout and joyful expectation, it entails a spiritual cleansing and meditation on the essence of love where Christ’s salvific mission is rooted.
The 2025 advent season begins today, Sunday, November 30, 2025, and concludes on Wednesday, December 24, 2025 (Christmas Eve).
Admittedly, it is difficult to spread the spirit of advent on the sphere of our individual and social dimensions considering that we are bombarded with various forms of hatred as our country is besieged by political belligerence, issues of corruption, crisis of moral ascendency among the authorities, lies, deceptions, and just recently, the denial of former PRRD’s interim release by the ICC Appeals Chamber.
It is indeed a challenge to spread love amidst these crises.
On the individual self:
It is surprising to know that the antithesis of love is not apathy or hatred. It is the self. Where there is the self or where there exists the self, there would be no authentic love. This, however, does not suggest to cease loving oneself for how could one give love if one doesn’t have love for the self in the first place? This simply means to avoid the exaggeration of the self to avoid self centeredness, otherwise, this will eventually destroy love.
On the social dimension:
We don’t live alone in society. We share or individuality with others. In the process of relating our unique individuality with others, we form society. We ought to contribute catering society to its existential end; the common good. This is the norm of every citizen especially those manning our government.
But how?
On the individual self, the church provides us an answer to focus on Christ.
On the social dimension, to revolutionize Christ’s teaching on the extent of respect for human authority, love for our country, and love for truth.
The church plays an important role on this seeing to it that our actions do no deviate from legality and morality. This then is a good preparation to commemorate the first coming and in anticipation for the second coming of Christ.