THEME: REPENT!
This second Sunday of Advent begins a focus on St. John the Baptist as the Forerunner. His purpose is to call people to repentance before the coming of Jesus Christ. That is his complete responsibility! Simply to point out the way to Christ and call people's attention to the fact that He is coming. It is the people's responsibility to hear his word and act on it, changing their lives for the better through repentance. John is a great model of the humility we all need as we continue our journey through this Advent season. For--who knows?--God may be calling you to point the way of the Lord to someone, to many people, perhaps without even realizing it.
If we understand this section of the Prophet Isaiah as Deutero-Isaiah and the Book of Consolation, then the first reading of today is appropriate. The Israelites were in exile because of their waywardness and sinfulness. However, in their waywardness, Yahweh never abandoned them. He consoles them and assures them of the fulfillment of the promise of the Messiah and Redeemer. He says, “Comfort, O comfort my people, says your God. Speak tenderly to Jerusalem and cry for her that she has served her term, that her penalty is paid, that she has received from the Lord’s hand double her sins” (Isaiah 40:1-2).
In spite of the fact that their sin is atoned for, the coming of the Messiah can only be meaningful if they made the conscious effort to welcome him namely putting away all evil or the works of darkness. So he says, “Every valley shall be lifted up and every mountain and hill be made low; and uneven ground shall become level and rough places a plain. Then the glory of the Lord shall be revealed…” (Isaiah 40:4-5). You need to watch road contractors at work trying to level mountainous areas or having to fill valleys in order to construct a road. The lesson for us is that we are called to lose our time, our energies and above all what is most cherished in our lives even though they are evil. This is what this season calls us to; to prune our lives. It is only then that the saviour will come to us.
Not only is the Prophet to console them, he assures the Israelites that the coming of the Lord will be characterized by subduing of nations under him. All sovereignties including those oppressing the Israelites will be subdued. The vulnerable will have a place in his network of salvation. This is because he is like a shepherd King feeding his flock, gathering them against his breast. The shepherd king attribute of Christ is made clear again in that he will bring hope to the vulnerable.
Just as the first reading was a consolation to the Israelites in exile, the second reading is a reminder that as we await the Lord, whether he comes early or not, we must not relapse into sin or take advantage of his delay to do evil. This is because, “ The Lord is not slow about his promise, as some think of slowness, but is patient with you not wanting anyone to perish but all to come to repentance” ( 2Peter 3:9).
In our day to day relationships, when we are expecting someone who is so dear to us, we prepare so well for such visits. Such visits are usually filled with anxieties because we want to please our beloved. The Gospel reading presents us with a direct opposite of this situation. As we wait for Jesus’s second coming, we are called to prepare seriously for him. In the case of Jesus who is our guest, he comes to prepare us for his coming in the person of John. Thus the guest rather prepares the host for his coming. What a paradox, yet it is true. St. Mark says, Look, I am going to send my messenger before you. He will prepare your way” (Mark 1:3).
Again, we are told that the kind of preparation John gave his disciples was a baptism or repentance for the forgiveness of their sins. If John has been sent by Jesus to prepare our way, then the preparation will not fall short of repentance. This season is not a time to busy ourselves about what we will eat or wear at Christmas. It is a time of reconciliation for all especially those who have not received the Sacrament of Baptism; it is a time of stock taking about how we have lived our baptismal promises. Let us not be like Martha who was so busy about receiving a guest. This is because Jesus, the Servant of the Servants is visiting us to serve and not to be served and to give his life as a ransom for many.
Moreover, we are also told that “ All people from the whole of the Judean countryside and all the people of Jerusalem were going out with him and were baptised by him in the river Jordan , confessing their sins” ( Mark 1:5). This Second Sunday of Advent calls us all to give serious attention to the Sacrament of Reconciliation. It is not an option; it is Christ who comes to us to offer us forgiveness of our sins.
In conclusion, Saint Ambrose of Milan has this to say “…for repentance must first condemn sin, that grace may blot it out. So then, John, who was a type of the law, came baptizing for repentance, while Christ came to offer grace. May the lure of greed not impede us from the joy which moves the hearts of those who seek him. May the darkness not blind us to the vision of wisdom which fills the minds of those who find him. Maranatha, Come Lord Jesus!
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