In today’s first reading Paul talks about the “Coming of the Lord.” The Greek word he uses is Parousia which in turn is translated into Latin as Adventus. The term originally referred to the solemn arrival of an important figure such as the emperor or governor. The city would welcome him with great pomp and ceremony. Christians then applied the term Parousia or Adventus to the second coming of Jesus at the end of the ages. Paul uses this term here as he prays for us:
Now may God himself, our Father, and our Lord Jesus direct our way to you, and may the Lord make you increase and abound in love for one another and for all, just as we have for you, so as to strengthen your hearts, to be blameless in holiness before our God and Father at the coming of our Lord Jesus with all his holy ones. Amen.
Paul makes a twofold petition in this prayer: 1) that God and Jesus may guide him back to the Thessalonians, and 2) that God may increase the Thessalonian’s love for one another. Paul recognizes the love of this community. He affirms them in their love but also challenges them not to be self-satisfied. Paul prays that God may continue to strengthen their mutual love and compassion up until the very end, the Parousia or “coming of our Lord Jesus with all his holy ones.”
The early Christian community was filled with eager expectation that Christ would come again very soon. While we are still waiting for the second coming, we remain filled with expectation and hope. Christians began to use the Latin word for the “coming or the Lord Jesus,” Adventus, as the name for the season of hope and expectation, the season of Advent. During the Advent the readings point to the two comings (adventus) of Jesus, his incarnation that we celebrate at Christmas and his second coming or Parousia at the end of time. While we look forward with expectation and hope for the “coming of our Lord Jesus” we need to recognize that Jesus is with us here now as he promises at the end of the Gospel: “Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, until the end of the age.” (Matthew 28:19-20).
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