A little over a week ago public life in Goa was marked by the scandal caused by the advertisement of Christmas and a Tantric celebration clubbed together. There were cries of ‘hurt sentiments’, complaints were filed, and the event then cancelled. All is now apparently well and peace has returned, but I dare say that more introspection is required, the kind that is particularly appropriate on this, the first Sunday of Advent.
The fact is, when such kinds of offensive stimuli pop up in the public sphere we Catholics have two options. The first is to inquire what we might have done to facilitate this offense. The second what can we do to ensure that rather than a time for self-righteous indignation, we make this offense a moment of evangelization.
In this specific case St. Paul’s words to the Romans that we read today are particularly helpful:
Brothers and sisters:
…
let us conduct ourselves properly as in the day,
not in orgies and drunkenness,
not in promiscuity and lust,
not in rivalry and jealousy.
But put on the Lord Jesus Christ,
and make no provision for the desires of the flesh.
The words of Our Lord this Sunday offer a similar caution against the vices of drunkenness, and gluttony.
In those days before the flood,
they were eating and drinking,
marrying and giving in marriage,
up to the day that Noah entered the ark.
My dear brothers and sisters, Advent is the season of preparation, of the commemoration of his coming as the Christ child, at Christmas; as well as his second coming, which will take place at a time which we do not yet know. This is to say, that Advent is NOT, a time for feasting and merrymaking, but a time for fasts and spiritual preparation. It is a time, when to echo the words of St. Paul, we must make “no provision for the desires of the flesh.”
And yet, what do we see around us? The Christmas season has already begun in the stores! Christmas carols are playing and there is already the feeling of Christmas in the air. This would have been acceptable were it only merchants plying their business to the godless. However, what we also see is Christians having their Christmas serenading, Christmas tree parties, already in the final weeks of Advent, stuffing themselves with wine, sweet and song. Advent, even though it is a penitential period, is even a time when one sees marriages being celebrated!
In those days …
they were eating and drinking,
marrying and giving in marriage,
If this is the behaviour of Christians, what right do we have to expect non-Christians to be any better? It is Christians themselves who contribute to the secularization of one of their great feasts. In fact, one could almost laud the organisers of the Tantric Christmas party, because they seem to have had the good sense to organize the party from the 25th of December!
How can we make Advent a period of prayerfulness and penitence?
In the Gospel Our Lord offers us more words of advice: “stay awake!” The first step towards spiritual wakefulness involves the sacrament of reconciliation. Examine our lives, and then go to confession. An advent without confession should be unthinkable! Organize vigils, ideally before the Blessed Sacrament. Fill it with periods of quiet intimacy with the Lord. Organize Rorate masses, preceded by a full rosary.
The other way, of course, to do what is suggested to us in the lectionary today. Fast! Some days ago, I was read a reference to Dom Prosper Guéranger´s suggestion that the absence of rigorous canonical requirements, gives Catholics the opportunity to live out the traditional penitential regimen entirely motivated by love.
Let love motivate our Advent fasts my dear brothers and sisters. Love for Our Lord, love for His Kingdom. Let us give up the little things that we will eventually enjoy at Christmastime – a full 12 days that is properly given to feasting, to caroling, and merrymaking. And remember, the penitence of Advent is meant to be lighter than the penitence that we will once again take up in the solemn period of Lent.
In my urging you to adopt Advent fasts prior to the feasting of Christmas I am reminded of the words of two poets. The first is of the Hindi-language poet Harivansh Rai Bachchan (1907-2003) in his poem Madhushala (The Tavern).
Ek baras me ek baar hee
Jagti Holi ki jwaala
Ek baar hee lagti baazi
Jalti deepon ki maala
Duniya waalon kintu kisi din
Aa madiraalay me dekho
Aa madiraalay me dekho
Din ko Holi raat Diwali
Roz manaati Madhushaala
Only once every year,
the fires of Holi are lit.
Only once is the game played and are garlands of lamps lit.
But, O, those who are lost in the world, come and see the tavern any day,
But, O, those who are lost in the world, come and see the tavern any day
The tavern celebrates a Holi, every morning and a Diwali every night.
To celebrate Holi and Diwali, every day and every night, to celebrate Christmas before it dawns, is to lose sense of what celebration means. It is to drown ourselves in a hedonism that offers no reward. It is no wonder then that by the time Christmas arrives, we are already tired of celebration.
And it is not that Christianity abhors celebration. As the poet Hilaire Belloc (1870 – 1953) says:
Wherever the Catholic sun doth shine, There's always laughter and good red wine.
At least I've always found it so. Benedicamus Domino!”
There is a time for celebration; but that time is not now. And so, my dear brothers and sisters, as we commence our Advent journey, I make my own the words of the hymn penned by Jacques Brethier (1923 –1994) of the Taizé movement:
Wait for the Lord, whose day is near.
Wait for the
Lord: be strong, take heart!
(A version of this homily was first preached to the faithful on 29 November 2025 at the Cathedral parish of St. Catherine of Alexandria, Old Goa.)
(Image reference: Rorate Mass celebrated at The Most Precious Blood of Jesus parish, Pittsburgh, 22 Dec 2025, Juliana Lamb.)
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