Signs of Hope

December 5, Sunday

SECOND SUNDAY OF ADVENT

 

Vatican II has restored the meaning of Advent from a season of penance and conversion into its original purpose: a time of hope. We remember the coming of Christ, and we know he has to come more deeply in our Church and in our world. To dispose us to do this we need conversion, of course, but we need especially hope that, notwithstanding everything to the contrary, his kingdom will come. To deepen that hope, we have to learn to see the signs that this hope is already present among us. Let our Lord open our eyes to these signs.

 

First Reading: Baruch 5:1-9

Jerusalem, get rid of the dull clothes of grief and put on your best dress, the clothes of glory meant for you from all eternity.

Wrap yourself in a lovely layered cloak; pick one from the justice collection. On your head put a crown in honor of the Eternal One.

God wants to show off how splendid you can look.

As of now, your name will be on the permanent divine invitation list; look under the headings of Peace and Justice and the Glory of God’s Worship.

Arise, Jerusalem, and take your stand on high; look to the east, and you’ll see your children gathering, rejoicing in the memory of God.

They were abducted a long time ago by their enemies and led away, made to walk the many miles on foot. God, however, will lead them back to you, carried with glory as though on a royal throne.

God has decided to level the mountains, turning the hard rock into gravel; the gorges and valleys he has ordered filled and leveled. He will do this so that the house of Israel may make the return trip to you in the security of the glory of the Most High.

At the command of God, forests and fragrant woods will spring up to provide shade for the returning pilgrims.

God will lead Israel home with joy, lighting the way with the majesty, mercy, and justice only he can command.

 

Second Reading: Philippians 1:4-6, 8-11

Every time you cross my mind, I break out in exclamations of thanks to God. Each exclamation is a trigger to prayer. I find myself praying for you with a glad heart. I am so pleased that you have continued on in this with us, believing and proclaiming God’s Message, from the day you heard it right up to the present. There has never been the slightest doubt in my mind that the God who started this great work in you would keep at it and bring it to a flourishing finish on the very day Christ Jesus appears.

It’s not at all fanciful for me to think this way about you. My prayers and hopes have deep roots in reality. You have, after all, stuck with me all the way from the time I was thrown in jail, put on trial, and came out of it in one piece. All along you have experienced with me the most generous help from God. He knows how much I love and miss you these days. Sometimes I think I feel as strongly about you as Christ does!

So this is my prayer: that your love will flourish and that you will not only love much but well. Learn to love appropriately. You need to use your head and test your feelings so that your love is sincere and intelligent, not sentimental gush. Live a lover’s life, circumspect and exemplary, a life Jesus will be proud of: bountiful in fruits from the soul, making Jesus Christ attractive to all, getting everyone involved in the glory and praise of God.

 

Gospel: Lk 3:1-6

In the fifteenth year of the rule of Caesar Tiberius—it was while Pontius Pilate was governor of Judea; Herod, ruler of Galilee; his brother Philip, ruler of Iturea and Trachonitis; Lysanias, ruler of Abilene; during the Chief-Priesthood of Annas and Caiaphas—John, Zachariah’s son, out in the desert at the time, received a message from God. He went all through the country around the Jordan River preaching a baptism of life-change leading to forgiveness of sins, as described in the words of Isaiah the prophet:

Thunder in the desert!
“Prepare God’s arrival!
Make the road smooth and straight!
Every ditch will be filled in,
Every bump smoothed out,
The detours straightened out,
All the ruts paved over.
Everyone will be there to see
The parade of God’s salvation.”

 

Prayer
God our Father,
we know today how to pierce mountains
and level hills to build highways,
but we have lost the way
to each other’s heart and to you.
Let your Son come among us
to make us inventive and daring enough
to build roads of justice and love
that make us encounter one another
and you, our living God.
We ask you this in the name of him whom we expect
and who is waiting for us,
Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

 

Reflection:

Mountains will be flattened, by His Word.

Thanks to the attempts of Luke to situate the preaching of John the Baptist to the events in history, today the Biblical scholars are able to calculate the period of the life and mission of John and Jesus. The second Sunday of Advent calls our attention on the mission of John the Baptist.  Similar to the call of many of the Old Testament prophets, Luke narrates the call of John by saying, “The Word of God came to John, the son of Zachariah in the desert.”

The desert is a special place to listen to God’s voice. Archaeological researches have discovered traces of Jewish communities who lead ascetic life in the desert, awaiting the coming of the Messiah.  Desert has been identified as a privileged place for seeking union with God. Perhaps John was part of this group, who took up living in the desert a way of life for them. It is here that the Word of God comes to John. Although life in the desert called for austerity, it had its own comfort level. The life of the Baptist would have been relatively peaceful and secure had he not leave the desert behind.

Instead, John did not hesitate to leave his comfort space and heed the call of God.

He obeys and immediately proclaims the good news in the towns bordering the Jordan. 

God’s call is irresistible. Numerous stories of God’s call in the Old Testament speak of how the prophets and the handpicked people of God tried to resist God’s call. Moses said, he was stutterer, Jeremiah said, he was young, Jonah wanted to flee… yet God prevailed! Same has been the case of Countless holy men and women in the history of the Church. 

And so, John left behind the comfort of his desert retreat and plunged himself into the ministry of preparing the way for the Messiah. In John, the voice of prophecy is once again revived. The people feel something new in the air. Exciting things are in store ahead because the Promised One is soon to come.

There are many ways we invent for the Lord to come to save us. but these ways often have nothing to do with the Gospel. All these separations between peoples, between cultures, will be flattened. Respect for all cultures will not cause wars.

When God calls us, are we ready to give up our comfortable space? Today, let us recall the many times that we are called to do a ministry on behalf of God. What was our response? May we have the courage to do what God wants us to do in obedience to His invitation to serve.

 

Video available on Youtube: Mountains will be flattened, by His Word.