The season of Advent marks the beginning of a new liturgical year, a time of hope, expectation, and spiritual renewal. It invites us to look forward—to the coming of Christ at Christmas, but also to His second coming at the end of time. In today’s Gospel, Jesus calls us to stay awake and be ready. His words are not meant to frighten us but to awaken us from spiritual complacency.

Jesus recalls the days of Noah when people were busy with their ordinary lives—eating, drinking, marrying, and working—until the flood came and caught them unprepared. The comparison is striking. It is not that daily life is evil; rather, people were so absorbed in their routines that they ignored the signs of God’s presence. In the same way, we too can easily become distracted by our comforts, schedules, and anxieties, forgetting that each day is a gift and a preparation for eternity.

Advent, therefore, is a time to reawaken our faith. It calls us to live each day attentively, to rediscover prayer, and to keep our hearts open to God’s will. Jesus warns that His coming will be sudden—like a thief in the night. This image reminds us that the Kingdom of God does not arrive with grand spectacle but often in silence, in simplicity, in moments of grace that we may overlook if we are not attentive.

To “stay awake” means more than physical alertness. It is a spiritual attitude—a readiness rooted in faith, hope, and love. We stay awake when we forgive, when we serve others, when we make peace, when we care for the poor and suffering. Each act of love is a preparation for the Lord’s coming. As Pope Francis often reminded us, “The Lord comes where and when we least expect Him; He comes in the faces of those in need, in the poor and forgotten.”

Advent begins not with fear, but with hopeful vigilance. The Lord does not wish to surprise us with judgment, but to find us waiting with joyful expectation. Let this new liturgical year be a time to renew our relationship with Christ—to open our eyes, hearts, and hands so that when He comes, He may find us faithful.