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In the last meditation, we spoke about vigilance as a basic attitude of the faithful who await the Lord’s Return: a vigilance that awakens us from our general slumber and keeps us attentive to His imminent Coming, as well as to the signs that will precede it.

How does this drowsiness come about, and what can we do to overcome it? How can we live fully focused on the Lord who is returning? How can we maintain an attitude of vigilance even when the Lord seems to delay His Coming?

In chapter 25 of the Gospel according to St. Matthew, the Lord points out two elements that encourage our vigilance.

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“As were the days of Noah, so will be the coming of the Son of Man. For as in those days before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day when Noah entered the ark, and they did not know until the flood came and swept them all away, so will be the coming of the Son of Man. Then two men will be in the field; one is taken and one is left. Two women will be grinding at the mill; one is taken and one is left. Watch therefore, for you do not know on what day your Lord is coming. But know this, that if the householder had known in what part of the night the thief was coming, he would have watched and would not have let his house be broken into. Therefore you also must be ready; for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect.” (Mt 24:37–44)

If I had to choose one word that should stand among the dominant concepts in relation to the Second Coming of Christ, it would be “vigilance.” Vigilance means breaking free from the habit and lethargy that so easily envelop us. Vigilance means that the soul focuses on what is essential and lives in the kairos.

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We dedicated the first week of Advent to meditating on the historical coming of Jesus into the world. In the second week, we focused on the birth of the Lord in our hearts and on how to deepen our relationship with Jesus within ourselves.

Now, in this third week, we turn our attention to the Second Coming of the Lord—a topic that is generally seldom discussed in our Catholic Church. Who speaks of the Return of Christ? Who preaches it? Who dares to address eschatological realities? In Protestant communities, awareness of the Return of Jesus is often more present. However, since they lack Tradition, their reflections may be insufficient and cause confusion.

For our Catholic Church, it is very important to pay more attention to the Second Coming of Christ, because then we would be more focused on the true goal, which we are approaching day by day. We could also put it this way: with each passing hour, the Lord’s return draws nearer, so we should prepare ourselves.

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Before ending the second week of Advent, let us briefly review the essential points of the meditations from the last few days, which will serve as a guide for deepening our interior life. They are as follows:

• Meditation on the Word of God
• Praying the meditated Holy Rosary
• Prayer from the heart
• Participation in worthy Eucharistic celebrations, together with the reception of Holy Communion
• Approaching contemplation, with its respective preparatory dispositions (seeking silence, overcoming disordered attachments to the things of this world and to people…)

Returning to this last point, it should be noted that most people are not called to a total abandonment of the world, as is the case in contemplative monasteries. They live in the world and, according to their duties of state, have obligations that keep them in contact with passing things. Those who fulfill their duties of state are in no way separated from God, even if they do not spend as much time in silence or are unable to withdraw constantly.

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This week’s meditations lead us step by step toward the theme of contemplation.

In our Holy Church, we have a rich mystical tradition that describes the profound encounter between God and the soul and invites us to embark on such a journey. We know of religious orders that devote themselves entirely to contemplative prayer and, in this way, present to God all the concerns and intentions of the Church and the world. They withdraw completely from the world and allow the flame of divine love to burn in their hearts.

Certainly, this is a special vocation that is not meant for everyone. However, the interior journey—such as the path taken by contemplative Carmelites—contains essential aspects for all who wish to deepen their faith. Just as in the world we learn from those who are experts in a particular field, on a spiritual level we can learn from those who have intensely cultivated the interior life.

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In this week’s meditations, we reflected on the internalization of the Word of God, the Holy Rosary, and prayer from the heart. We also briefly mentioned receiving Holy Communion at Holy Mass, a topic I would like to dwell on a little more in today’s meditation.

Through Holy Communion, an intimate union with the Lord takes place, and He penetrates more deeply into our soul. In God the Father’s message to Sister Eugenia Ravasio, a private revelation that I have quoted on several occasions, our Heavenly Father offers the following reflection on this subject:

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On several occasions, I have spoken and written in detail about the “Prayer of the Heart,” which is practiced mainly in the Eastern Church. I recommend that you reread or listen to what I have said, which you can find in the links at the bottom of the page[1]. You can also find other sources to learn more about this valuable prayer and its history[2].

Since this week we are focusing on deepening our relationship with Jesus and on his deeper indwelling in our hearts, I return once again to this prayer, which is almost indispensable for souls seeking silence and recollection. Personally, I have been practicing it for almost forty years, and now I find it impossible to imagine my life without the “Prayer of the Heart.” Anyone who has tasted the “spiritual flavor” of this prayer will agree with me and understand why I recommend the “Jesus Prayer” to all Christians. It is unsurpassed in its simplicity and can be prayed anywhere.

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Internalizing our faith is one of the decisive elements for God’s grace to unfold abundantly in our lives.

Faith must be internalized so that it consists of more than just outward gestures and actions—not to detract from the importance and value of the latter—but is also deeply rooted in our hearts. In this way, we forge a rich interior life in union with God, an interior life that is always present and growing.

God offers us various ways of internalization.

First, we must assimilate the Word of God more deeply. Scripture says of Mary that she pondered the Word in her heart (cf. Lk 2:19). To do so, we must read the Word of God daily. It is our spiritual nourishment that enlightens our understanding and illuminates our hearts (Psalm 119:105).

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On this day, when we celebrate the Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception of Mary, it is very appropriate to talk about the Holy Rosary, a classic Christian meditation closely associated with the Virgin Mary.

In fact, she carried the Lord in her womb and in her heart. If we want Jesus to be born more deeply in our hearts, she, being our spiritual Mother, will gladly help us. What pleases her most is that we listen to her Son and allow Him to dwell in our hearts. Her joy is to see Jesus taking shape in our lives. What mother would not want her child to receive the respect, love, and attention He deserves? How much more does this apply to the Mother of God, whose Son brings us salvation!

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When reflecting on Advent, we can speak of three comings of the Lord:

1. His historical coming, when He was born in Bethlehem;
2. His birth in our hearts;
3. His glorious coming at the End of Time.

In this second week of Advent, we will reflect on the second of these: the presence of Jesus in our hearts. Indeed, it is essential that He also dwell in our hearts, for this is how our inner transformation takes place. Letting Jesus into our hearts means giving Him shelter, making room for God’s love in our souls.

We also experience this in our human relationships: when someone occupies a place in our hearts, it means they have become part of our lives, that we are also part of theirs, and that we think of them with love and gratitude. In a way, that person is present in us, even if we are not in constant contact.

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