The liturgists of the Church frequently stress that Christians are an “already but not yet” people. The reference to ‘already' is based on the fact that the Messiah has come.

We celebrate that joyous event with gratitude at Christmas. As we try our best to live in response to the first coming of the Lord, we become aware of the second part of the liturgical teaching: the ‘not yet' context of our lives in which we still struggle with temptation and an impatience for the fullness of salvation.

The Church tells us that to persevere on the journey we must look to and long for the second coming of the Lord. The Advent question is how is this “looking to and longing for” to be sustained? The answer is: Watchfulness!

Although what constitutes watchfulness is not generally spelled out, it is a very specific concept in the Catholic tradition. What must we be watchful about as we look to and long for the second coming? We must be watchful about ourselves, our fidelity to the covenant.

We must be watchful about our role in the Church as a lifelong consequence of our Baptism. We must be watchful about the powerful yet subtle influences of civil society. Let us consider each responsibility of watchfulness separately.

Watchfulness about self

The Second Vatican Council's Constitution on the Church in the Modern World contained a very incisive observation about the human person's capacity to understand self and life. It stated: “The truth is that only in the mystery of the Incarnate Word does the mystery of the human person take on light.

Christ fully reveals the human person to herself/himself and makes the vocation of each person clear. Through Christ and in Christ the riddles of sorrow and death grow meaningful. Apart from His Gospel, they overwhelm us.”

Understanding self, the call to live with God and with others based on the values of God is a major point of confusion for many people of all ages, not just the young. The wisdom of God is so distant for so many. The search for meaning, depending on one's background, can be intense.

The temptation to compromise even when one understands self and follows a spiritual tradition is everywhere. People get tired and people change their minds.

What is going on within ourselves and in our lives? Do we understand it? Are we at peace? If not, why not? If we are at peace, do we have a plan for growth? Are we being watchful about ourselves?

Watchfulness about Church

We are the living stones that make up the Church. By Baptism we share in the threefold office of Jesus the Lord: prophet, priest and shepherd.

The responsibility of prophet is to teach and to witness. Are we faithful to that responsibility? For example, do we teach the young people of our families the story of Christmas? Do we witness to the young and to others that we really believe what we teach?

The responsibility of a priest is to be faithful to worship and prayer. Are we faithful to that responsibility? Do we pray each day? Do we worship on every Sunday and holyday? Do we consider worship a privilege? Are we comfortable with spirituality? Does it give meaning and direction to our lives?

The responsibility of a shepherd is to form and sustain community. Are we faithful to that responsibility? Do we share our gifts with our parish, vicariate and archdiocese? Life is moving on. How much time have we wasted? How many personal gifts have never been developed or shared?

We are the Church. We must be watchful about how we respond to the call to be God's People.

Watchfulness about society

One of the contemporary trends in international society is the effort to move religion (all religious traditions) out of the public forum. The strategy of privatising religion is the foundation of the process to build the “ Secular City ”.

The implication is clear. If religious values are undermined they will fade from public consciousness. Eventually the people will not think very often about religious values.

Consequently, religious values will have less and less to do with evaluating the present and planning the future. The secularists will be free.

The concept of the secular city is itself a child of modernity. Modernity is understood as the historical process which presents itself as the flowering of rationality and brings about the birth of a new and unique civilisation.

Unfortunately the promises made in the name of modernity and the building of the secular city, specifically by science and technology, did not create a better world filled with meaning.

Therefore, we have moved into what is called the post-modern era in which the goals of modernity and the building of the secular city have not been rejected but are now approached with a more realistic, if not skeptical, mindset.

Some examples of how the issue of building the secular city is helped by privatising religion may be helpful to the reader. Consider these very current issues:
1) The political philosophy behind the drafting of the Constitution of the European Union that totally ignored the Christian roots of Europe (the Constitution was defeated but the political philosophy remains alive); 2) The tensions over life issues;
3) The divisions over the understanding of marriage;
4) The secularisation of the symbols that communicate the true meaning of Christmas;
5) Disputes over medical ethics and the consequent efforts to eliminate religious health care facilities.

What is my point? My point is this is the air we breathe in contemporary society. The theology of Advent says: BE WATCHFUL! Our values can be affected.

Conclusion

The application of the traditional Advent theme of watchfulness is frequently limited to issues of sin. While that is certainly a valid application, the agenda for Advent watchfulness is even more challenging. The reflection in this column has tried to alert the reader about a broader Advent agenda. I hope it has been helpful.