Can Father's Day Come Twice?

Wow! The last Sunday of Advent. The spirit of Christmas cannot be hindered anymore. More than any other Sundays of Advent, now is the prelude to Christmas.

Today we hear of prophet Isiah prophesying about the child who is to come, telling this to Ahaz. A reminder that Christ coming is foretold as in then Advent prayers we say "you whom prophets and sages long foretold". Only Jesus is given that reality. To be born and yet while not yet born, He already is talk of the people. I never knew of Hallie Williams until the time I watched the Twilight Saga. Nobody told me she will rise to fame. Actually, nobody told her. Nobody told us about Manny Pacquiao when we were eight or ten. No one. He only came to my senses when he won his fights. Jesus is so different that while he is not yet born, he already is.

Saint Paul would remind us in the second reading that this Jesus is the fulfillment of Prophet Isiah's foretelling. He is the one who is to come and the one to resurrect. No one like Jesus resurrected from death. Other denominations have gods but they didn't rose from the dead. Lazarus was brought to life again and so is the daughter of Jairus but they were only resuscitated by Jesus. Jesus is the only one who resurrected from the dead.

Now in the Gospel we hear about the one who will take good care of the child prophesied by Isiah. He is Saint Joseph, the patron of the laborers, patron of happy death, patron of good fathers, and the protector of the Holy Mother Church. He is the template of Christian parenthood. He may not be the index of advent like Saint John the Baptist but he is definitely one of the persons who prepared the way of the Lord.

This slogan--prepare the way of the Lord--is the nexus theme of advent. It is a call to all Christian. A preparatory program for Christmas. And this, like St. John and Isiah, Saint Joseph did.

Christmas is really near. The question is, are we preparing the way of the Lord?
Are we ready to change our ways?
Are we reflecting internally on the coming of Jesus 2010 years ago and in our hearts? Or are we just hurrying and rushing to the malls and party centers more than we do in the chapels?

Jesus was born in the inn and simplicity is all he taught that night. Why so worried of how to make an extravagant occasion? Jesus is asking for our time this advent, we are not yet late if we will try.