(Marc Chagall, Noah’s Ark, Marc Chagall Museum, Nice, 1961)
Sunday, 30 November 2025
FIRST SUNDAY OF ADVENT – YEAR A
Commentary on the Sunday Gospel
Mt 24:37-44
Today, with the first Sunday of Advent, the Laudato Si’ Journey begins again, accompanying the Sundays of the liturgical year that begins with this Gospel. It is a journey in the footsteps of the Word of God, read in the light of our commitment to ecological conversion. It is a journey that begins in a strange way: Jesus speaks to us about the ultimate realities; the first Gospel of the liturgical year presents an eschatological discourse. What is the meaning of this?
Advent is a favourable time to prepare the way for Christmas, for the mystery of God’s incarnation. The Creator chooses to live our daily lives, and we are called in our daily lives to discern the signs of the times. From this perspective, we can better understand why we begin a journey already knowing the ending, what awaits us at the end.
This Sunday’s Gospel presents us with a part of the “eschatological discourse” found in chapter 24 of Matthew’s Gospel, immediately after the statement about this generation, the invitation not to wait for some unknown future, but to live the present with the sentiments of watchmen. This Sunday’s passage immediately follows the beautiful image of the fig tree, the ever-present invitation in Jesus’ message to contemplate creation, to listen to its voice as Moses did before the burning bush that was not consumed. The images in this Sunday’s passage are taken from everyday life and teach us the attitude to adopt during Advent and, ultimately, in our daily lives.
‘As in the days of Noah’. Jesus tells his disciples how the Son of Man will come. In Noah’s time, exactly what happens in every age happened: eating, drinking, reproducing. These are the primary activities of life and existence, without which the species cannot be preserved. Noah also ate, drank and had children. Is this what evil consists of? The subtle difference lies in the style. One might think that everything in life boils down to satisfying the need to eat, drink and raise a family. Or one might think, along with this, of building an ark, listening to the cry of the earth and using one’s skills to do something concrete. Others did not notice anything. As is the case today, many do not even notice those who try to build an ark. Salvation is built in everyday life, by listening to God’s love.
We must not wait for some unknown future, some unknown signs or miracles to experience this grace. Today is the right day; it is this generation that will see the signs of the times. It will not depend on what we do, but on how we do it. For this reason, two men will be in the field, doing their work, and will have different fates; for this reason, two women will be grinding at the mill, also at work, and will run the same risk. A universal message, which applies to men and women, in the dignity of their work. Each of us can do the same job, but with a style that saves you, or leaves you abandoned!
“Watch!” Think how beautiful this invitation is, to stay awake, attentive to the beauty that surrounds us! We prepare for Christmas, which in our imagination is at night, with nativity scenes made of stars and candles. On this night, which is the darkness of our meaningless days or the daily routine that cancels us out, we are called by God, who becomes incarnate, to keep our eyes open, not to suffer reality but to live it! What trust Jesus has in each of us…
Today’s Gospel ends with the image of the master, who fears being burgled by the thief because he lives everything as possession. The opposite of love, as St Francis teaches us, is not hatred, but possession, because it is the negation of love. Let us think of Noah, who does not possess the ark, but makes it available for the salvation of creation. In fact, this Gospel will end with the figure of the servant, who is not present in today’s passage. And this servant will be blessed, the last beatitude in Matthew’s Gospel, which sums up all the beatitudes: to be conformed to the Son of God!
The most beautiful wish for this new liturgical year is to walk alongside the word of God to build a better world, with the gaze of Francis of Assisi, who said in his wonderful paraphrase of the Our Father: “Thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven: that we may love thee with all our heart, always thinking of thee; with all our soul, always desiring thee; with all our mind, directing all our intentions to thee and seeking thy honour in everything; and with all our strength, spending all our energy and sensitivity of soul and body in the service of thy love and nothing else; and that we may love our neighbours as ourselves, drawing everyone with all our power to your love, enjoying the goods of others as our own and suffering their evils with them, and causing no offence to anyone.” (FF 270).
We sincerely wish you a blessed journey towards the Lord’s Christmas!
Laudato si’!