'Day of the Lord' brings completion

December 7, 2003 -- Second Sunday of Advent

By Fr. Richard Ver Bust

	Fr. Richard Ver Bust

This Sunday and the Third Sunday of Advent, our second readings are from Paul's letter to the Philippians. This important letter helps us understand further the liturgies of Advent. There will be a further unfolding or explaining of the meaning of this technical word "parousia." This presence of Jesus to the Philippians and us is important in understanding our relationship with him.

Philippi was an important commercial center in Paul's time. It was located in the province of Macedonia. There were many Romans in the city because retired soldiers often settled there after their battles and tours of duty.

It is one of the few places Paul visited that did not have a Jewish synagogue. Therefore, Paul had to change his evangelization strategy. In other cities Paul visited the synagogue first and often preached there as invited guest.

In Philippi he began his preaching as Acts 16:16 tells us by going out to a place of prayer. It may have been an outdoor site used by Jews since they did not have a synagogue.

Women seemed to have played important leadership roles. In this community, Lydia, Euodia, and Syntche are all mentioned in Acts and the letter. It also indicates that those who joined the Christian community were probably Gentile.

The letter probably was written between 54 and 57 while Paul was at Ephesus. The letter we have is probably made up of fragments of three separate letters written during that period of time.

Our reading is taken from two important elements found in most letters - thanksgiving and prayer. They usually followed the formula of address and greeting to open the letter, like the one we follow in when we write "Dear so and so."

In letters of Paul's time it includes who the letter is from, so Paul wrote "Paul and Timothy, to all the holy ones at Philippi." This is typically followed by a thanksgiving telling why Paul is grateful.

In the thanksgiving Paul expresses his thanks to God for the Philippians' response to his preaching of the good news. Using a theme expressed often in this letter, he thanks God with joy.

Paul alludes to their preparation for Christ's parousia. This "day" of Christ Jesus is the one in which Christ will come to fulfill the kingdom and when the work of bringing the world to recognize God as Lord will be complete.

This "day of the Lord" will be a time of joy and completion. Paul prays that the faith community in Philippi will grow in faith and love to that day.

(The late Fr. Ver Bust directed the master's program in theology at St. Norbert College, De Pere.)