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Today we begin the vigil of waiting for God's kingdom to be fully realised. The first reading looks forward to a future time when all nations will worship the God of Israel and live in peace with one another. Isaiah the prophet wrote in 8th century, a turbulent time when the powerful nation Assyria had conquered Israel (the northern kingdom) and constantly threatened the southern kingdom of Judah. His oracles did not express a mere optimism but a certain hope that God's "ways" are the right ones and that ultimately all would come to worship God in his temple and live by his Law in peace.

The Gospel passage from Matthew exhorts his readers to be prepared for the end-times or parousia. Since no-one knows when this will happen he urges watchfulness and alertness so that the coming of the Son of Man doesn't catch them unawares as people were caught by the flood in Noah's day.

St Paul tells the Romans that "the time" has come. He doesn't mean that the promises made to the people of Israel are fully realised but that they have now been inaugurated. Our salvation is nearer, he says, it will be daylight soon. Meantime he exhorts his readers to go out "wearing" Christ like protective armour.

The early Christians expected the end of the world to take place in their lifetime and looked towards the second coming of Jesus. We too look forward to that time as we prepare to celebrate his first coming at Christmas.

Does the reading from Isaiah give you hope for the future?

Does your faith in Jesus Christ give you the strength to live with confidence?