One of the central themes in this week’s readings is to be “awake.” Both Jesus and Paul highlight the importance of being awake, and Isaiah reminds the Israelites they are called to walk in the light of the Lord. With these references to being awake, we are invited to be aware not only of what is happening around us, but also within us so that we can be more responsive to the changes within ourselves that allow us to be better prepared to receive the Lord.

The theme of being awake may draw us to a phrase commonly heard among young people today: “stay woke!” This phrase emerges from the African American community’s struggle against racism in the United States. Its original meaning has since expanded to include a wider range of injustice. Thus, to be woke is to be “alert to injustice in society.”

While this idea of being alert to injustice seems beneficial, “wokeness” is often used with negative connotations. It is common to hear “wokeness” being used pejoratively to describe people as intolerant and self-righteous for calling out those who differ from their beliefs. We may have heard the word “pa-woke” being used to allege hypocrisy and deceptiveness in those who we consider “different” or “other” from us.

When we speak of being “awake” or “woke,” it is important we do not lose sight of the purpose of this wokeness - the upliftment of all people. Working towards justice, however, should start with being “woke” or alert to our own inner conflicts and the tensions within us that hinder us from truly listening to God’s invitation in our lives. Looking honestly at our lives, asking difficult questions to ourselves, and confronting our wounds and biases are all necessary steps towards reconciliation with oneself, so that we may all have the fullness of life that God wants us to have and be instruments for the upliftment of all.

Isaiah reminds us today of the importance of walking in the light of the Lord for the good of all, and for peace and prosperity. To do so, Paul reminds us we are called “to awake from sleep. For our salvation is nearer now than when we first believed; the night is advanced, the day is at hand. Let us then throw off the works of darkness and put on the armor of light” (Romans 13:11-12). And today’s Gospel recalls how in Noah’s time many were caught off guard by the flood and inattentive to what was to come. We are reminded this will be the case as well for the coming of the Son of Man. We must be prepared and stay “woke”!

One important step in becoming awake is to form our conscience by reflecting on our own experiences and the things happening around us in light of our faith, and courageously acting on it to better make ourselves available to God’s laboring in our world. It is important to remember that,

Conscience is the most secret core and sanctuary of a person. There one is alone with God, whose voice echoes in their depths. In a wonderful manner, conscience reveals that law which is fulfilled by love of God and neighbor. In fidelity to conscience, Christians are joined with the rest of humanity in the search for truth, and for the genuine solution to the numerous problems which arise in the life of individuals from social relationships” (Gaudium et spes #16).

Our conscience allows us to hear the voice of God from deep within that summons us to choose good over evil, to bridge instead of divide, and to love rather than be indifferent. Persistently forming our conscience enables us to truly serve others, be in solidarity with their sufferings, and always choose the path that would uplift them.

St. John Paul II defined solidarity as the, “Firm and persevering determination to commit oneself to the common good, that is to say, to the good of all and of each individual because we are all responsible for all” (Sollicitudo Rei Socialis #38). Pope Francis reminds us that solidarity is ultimately service that sees those in need:

Solidarity finds concrete expression in…service [that] always looks to their faces, touches their flesh, senses their closeness and even, in some cases, ‘suffers’ that closeness and tries to help them. Service is never ideological, for we do not serve ideas, we serve people (Fratelli Tutti #115).

As we strive to be in solidarity with others, we are foremost invited to be “woke” in our consciences, to begin the process of being reconciled with Christ and to “put on the armor of light… put on Jesus Christ.” This is the difficult work of beating the swords and spears in our hearts into the plowshares and pruning hooks of a life that cultivates goodness and uplifts the dignity of all. In preparation for this Advent journey, may we put on Jesus Christ by being reconciled with him as we see more clearly what’s within us, see more honestly the injustices and suffering of those around us, and work to be more Christ-like in our life of faith and justice.

1. As you begin this Advent journey, take some time to look at your life. What do you desire to change to be more attentive to the Lord’s presence in your life? How can you be more awake to the Lord coming into your life? What thoughts, qualities, or dispositions prevent you from being compassionate to others and to yourself?

2. Pope Francis says in Fratelli Tutti #209, “We have ample evidence of the great good of which we are capable, yet we also have to acknowledge our inherent destructiveness.” What is the goodness within you of which you know you are capable? What destructiveness are you being invited to cleanse yourself from during this Advent journey? Turn to the Lord and speak with him about the goodness and destructiveness within you. Ask him to help you with strengthening your goodness and giving up that which hurts you.

3. How can you grow in solidarity with others? What are the things that keep you from working more for the improvement of the lives of all?