Deepertruth: The Beginning Of Advent For Christmas

St Paul teaches us to be ever vigilant writing, “Concerning times and seasons, brothers, you have no need for anything to be written to you. For you yourselves know very well that the day of the Lord will come like a thief at night. When people are saying, ‘Peace and security’, then sudden disaster comes upon them, like labor pains upon a pregnant woman, and they will not escape”.

St. Paul says, “For you yourselves know very well…”indicating that he had already been preparing the people to be steadfast. This is exactly what the Church continues to do.

St. Paul continues, “But you, brothers, are not in darkness, for that day to overtake you like a thief. For all of you are children of the light and children of the day. We are not of the night or of darkness. Therefore, let us not sleep as the rest do, but let us stay alert and sober” (1 Thessalonians 5:1-6).

Because of the many who proclaimed teachings contrary to the Apostles, St. Paul writes, “We ask you, brothers, with regard to the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our assembling with him, not to be shaken out of your minds suddenly, or to be alarmed either by a ‘spirit’, or by an oral statement, or by a letter allegedly from us to the effect that the day of the Lord is at hand”.