When I arrived in the Philippines for the first time and visited some Christian communities, I was surprised of seeing your very impressive devotional lives, full of affection and adoration. It is quite common here to see the Catholics touching and kissing the holy images and statues. I said, “My God, I’m completely wrong because before, I thought that only the Orthodox Christians have such extraordinary devotional gestures!”.

 

Your lovely devotional gestures, kissing and touching, made me think of one characteristic of Christian faith I’ve always taken for granted. We have an affectionate faith. Touching and kissing are expressions of affection. Let’s pay more attention to this word: affection. We could be affected by many things such as good and bad news, cold and hot climate, and delicious or tasty food, etcetera. Young men and women are so affected by their first love experience that they think there are no other creatures in this world than themselves.

 

We do have an affectionate faith because we believe in God who has chosen to be born in our history through his affectionate Son, Jesus. God himself was so affected by the human’s cry of sins and sufferings; affected by human happiness and sorrows that He has sent his son Jesus to come to our presence to give meaning to our life. Remember that Jesus was so affectionate toward the sinners. That choice made  his life in danger and finally he was crucified!

 

The time of Advent is all about affection. And affection is all about presence. A mother keeps hugging and kissing her child despite what ever stupidity he does. Kisses and hugs are parts of mother’s presence.  Child self-confidence and curiosity grow up thanks to that presence. Mother’s first kiss usually teaches her child love and confidence.

 

When you shake hands with someone, or kiss the cheek or hand of someone else, you indirectly declare that you are being present and are available to them.  These are signatures of your presence. They are also the art of loving. It happens however that the routine could take away the beauty of art. We could bow, shake hands or kiss someone in a total absence, without being really present, because we are thinking of another thing out there, because we are not opened. Hypocrisy can be a result of an absence. We have all experienced to feel whether one is being present or being absent when he or she chats with us.

 

Jesus said in today’s Gospel, “Be watchful, you don’t know the day your Lord is coming”. His coming is not a matter of knowing, but feeling. Just feel it, but with the eye of your heart! This is the meaning of advent. Being watchful is an act of feeling. In this first week of Advent, Jesus invites us to be as affectionate as Him, to be aware of His presence in our lives and to be present to Him. Have you ever thought that the sacrament of reconciliation is an expression of God’s affectionate love? It’s like a kiss that makes you feel his tenderness. It’s like a comma that lets us feel his welcoming presence. It’s like a question mark by which we can see all our sins in the light of his everlasting love. And finally, the sacrament of reconciliation is like an exclamation point that let us shout with joy: how beautiful my life is. The more you are affectionate with God, the more you can be affectionate with others. And finally, your devotional life will be a true witness of this divine affection, and not a mere ritual attitude.          

(Fr. Reynaldo F. Tardelly,s.x.)