Advent Beckons Us Homeward
We are familiar with the famous last judgment scene in Matthew 25 where Jesus separates the righteous from the unrighteous. Interesting is the criterion for righteousness: feeding the hungry, slaking the thirsty, welcoming the stranger, clothing the naked, caring for the sick and visiting the imprisoned. It is on this biblical passage that the corporal works of mercy are based. This is the last of a series of issues in NC Catholics devoted to the corporal works of mercy. In this issue we focus on the biblical mandate to welcome the stranger (Mt. 25: 35) and the ecclesiastical mandate to shelter the homeless (Catechism of the Catholic Church #2447).
It seems most appropriate that we would focus on this mandate at this time of the year for several reasons. First, as St. Augustine reminds us, “Our hearts are restless until they rest in Thee.” Ultimately, all of us are seeking our true home: heaven. There we will find true rest, for our eternal dwelling place is with God. Thus, the Church at this particular moment asks us to meditate upon the Second Coming. Be focused, especially at this sacred time, not on the things of this world but rather on the One whose birth we prepare to celebrate and who alone settles our hearts.
Second, in Advent we will gradually be swept up into the great story of the Nativity, a story of two travelers seeking shelter so that a child, the Son of God, could be born. How appropriate that we would focus on sheltering the homeless in this issue of NC Catholics as we contemplate the great story of the Holy Family. We cannot be like those who told Mary and Joseph that there was no place to stay. As a Church and a community, we must open wide our doors and provide the shelter that others so richly deserve. I am pleased that the Diocese of Raleigh and our Catholic outreach programs continue to work closely with local officials in this important work.
Third, many of us will make some effort to be home with family during the upcoming holidays or at least will attempt to be in communication with members of our family. There is something about home, even a home with difficulties, that continually beckons to us and reminds us of its importance in our human lives. We must be ever thankful for the special people God has placed in our lives, and spend quality time with one another. If there is a need to offer forgiveness or an apology so that reconciliation within the family can take place, ask God for the grace to take the initiative. It is only when we are at peace with one another that we can we be at peace with Him.
This holy time of the year beckons us homeward, both to our heavenly Father and to our human families. As we undertake the spiritual preparations of the Advent season and the physical preparations connected with this month in our society, it seems most appropriate that we consider how we extend ourselves in welcoming the stranger and sheltering the homeless, not only in this month but throughout the year. After all, this is what the righteous do!
Most Reverend Michael F. Burbidge