DECEMBER 1 / 2, 2018
4:30 PM (SAT), 7:30 AM, 5:30 PM ORDINARY FORM (ENGLISH) MASSES
The linguistic terms andative and venitive refer to verb forms that indicate coming and going, especially when it is relative to a particular location or person. The andative indicates going and doing something; while the venitive indicates coming and doing something.
In modern English, however, it can more often than not, be assumed that come and go are interchangeable; with the exception of a handful of particular situations.
For a native speaker, it requires no thought or effort at all. Whereas, for those learning English, it can be quite confusing.
And, on the other hand, when an English speaker tries to learn another language, they have to give some extra thought to using come or go in distinct and different ways – based on the rules of whatever particular language they are using.
That can all be a bit confusing. So I’ll leave you with the idiom: I don’t know whether I’m coming or going, which may be appropriate after all of that.
Today is the First Sunday of Advent.
The word advent comes from the Latin word advenire – which means to reach or to arrive. The prefix ad implies motion towards something, and the verb venire can mean both to go or to come.
This Latin word is a translation of the Greek word parousia which can mean presence, arrival, or an official visit.
In the New Testament, the word parousia shows up 24 times – 16 of which refer to the Second Coming of Christ.
And so, in the Season of Advent, we penitentially prepare ourselves for the arrival of Jesus Christ.
In the Collect, or the Opening Prayer, we prayed
Grant your faithful … the resolve to run forth to meet … Christ with righteous deeds at his coming.And so, even in the first prayer we pray in the Advent Season, Christ is coming and we are going … running forth to meet Him … as He comes toward us.
The Season of Advent reflects upon the coming of Christ from three distinct perspectives. (1) His first coming, historically in Bethlehem, (2) His daily coming, in our hearts sacramentally, and (3) His glorious coming, ultimately, at the end of time.
As far as these three perspectives, we only have control over the second – how much or how little we allow Christ to come into our hearts through our participation in the sacraments and through the intensity of our prayer lives.
And as time rolls on … whether we like it or not – we move closer to that future coming – whether or not we’re around to experience it in this flesh.
As we approach this altar to receive the Sacred Body and Blood, Soul and Divinity of Jesus Christ, let us pray for a renewed resolve – these next four weeks – to indeed run forth and meet Christ Jesus – in whatever ways He may desire to come into our lives.
As we recall His first coming, may we allow Him more and more space in our lives; and when He comes in glory, may we go out to meet Him with all the Saints.
