SECOND SUNDAY OF ADVENT

Readings:  Isaiah 11:1-10   Romans 15:4-9   Matthew 3:1-12

 

The season of Advent is the time of waiting for the coming of the Lord.  We eagerly wait for someone we love.  The liturgy of today speaks of repentance, personal change of heart, a transformation or conversion. Repentance is more than merely grieving over our sins; it is a call to change for the better. 

 In today’s Gospel Matthew presents us John the Baptist as he introduces Jesus to the world. The church chooses him as the personification of the Advent theme as he preaches repentance, transformation of the heart and reform of our lives. He calls people to prepare the way for the Lord and make his paths straight. His words have an advice and warning for each one of us.  

Today’s First Reading from the Book of Isaiah consists of a descriptive prophecy related to the coming of the ideal king from David’s line. It begins with the proclamation that a shoot shall come out from the stump of Jesse, and a branch shall grow out of his roots.  Jesse was the father of King David, from whom the Judean kings, descended.

The prophet says that the spirit of the Lord will rest upon him. The new king will be committed to God’s own moral standards and will be filled with the spirit of God. He will rule the universe with the uprightness which comes from the goodness of God. His coming brings an era of peace.  He represents the end of all conflict and violence. 

Today’s Second Reading Paul reminds the Romans that the Old Testament calls for the people to be steadfast in their difficulties. It also provides encouragement.  Here the Apostle tells the Romans that whatever was written in former days was written for their instruction, so that by steadfastness and by the encouragement of the scriptures they might have hope. 

These scriptures prepared them to receive Christ and tell them that Christ has become a servant of the circumcised on behalf of the truth of God in order that he might confirm the promises given to the patriarchs, and in order that the Gentiles might glorify God for his mercy.  Here Paul instructs them to live in peace and harmony. He tells them that discord in community is evil and they must accept all and offer each other the sign of peace. 

Today’s Reading from the Gospel of Matthew begins by telling us that Saint John the Baptist proclaimed a baptism of repentance in the wilderness of Judea. John’s message was one of repentance in preparation for the Kingdom of Heaven that was at hand. 

John’s task was to straighten out the human hearts and he imparted truth as he saw it: to Herod, to all the people, the Pharisees, Sadducees.  He was a voice that summoned people to justice and right and led them to God. The Jews in general respected him and went to him easily to listen to him. His mission was very much the reminder of Prophet Elijah who was identified with fire. Fire is a good symbol as it provides illumination and warmth and at the same time purification.

John while preaching and baptizing demonstrated his forthright self that contained a warning and a promise. John’s preaching was directed at some of the Scribes and Pharisees. When the Pharisees and Sadducees he called them a brood of vipers and people in such category could be considered evil and dangerous for others. However he called them to repentance and change of heart for there was room for everyone with God and their hearts could always change for good. 

Matthew wanted to make it very clear that no matter how important John the Baptist is, Jesus is far superior to him. He wanted to tell them that he himself was not the Messiah and the saviour who was coming after him was surely greater than him. In announcing the nearness of the Kingdom of God, John was pointing to Jesus, who had come as the divine fulfilment of the Kingdom. 

 Jesus proclaimed the Kingdom of God in his person indicating the perfect image of his unseen Father and called everyone to follow him closely.  As he will say later, he is in fact the Way, truth and life and he will lead them all to the Father.  To live in him, through him and with him is to reach the ultimate goal of our existence which is the perfect union with the Father.  All of this is included in this simpler proclamation of John, to be repeated later by Jesus himself. Great crowds we are told came from all the surrounding region of Judea and the Jordan valley to hear his powerful call to a change of heart. 

In our Gospel today, repentance is tied to the baptism of John as the people actively sought conversion and were acknowledging their sins.  John the Baptist claimed that his baptism would be that of water while the baptism of Jesus would be of the Holy Spirit.  John’s baptism had no effective power.  It was like the rites of the Old Testament were merely symbolic of grace.  Its value came from the personal repentance of those who received it.

The baptism of Jesus in the Holy Spirit would be far more than symbolic. This baptism would actually affect change in the person in a permanent way by impressing the mark of Christian on the soul.  While John’s baptism would only signify grace, the baptism of Jesus in the Holy Spirit would actually cause grace.  Hence, Jesus Christ introduces a whole new dynamic through the sacraments. 

Towards the end of today’s Gospel we have the following words of John the Baptist that he was baptizing them with water as a sign of repentance, but one who was more powerful than he was coming after him and John himself was not worthy to untie his sandals, namely even to be his menial servant. He would baptize them with the Holy Spirit and fire.  John in this way directed the people to Jesus who would baptize people with the spirit which ultimately came on the day of Pentecost.  That became the sign of repentance which Jesus was to preach and sign of his kingdom.  

In this holy season of advent, as we prepare to welcome Christ at Christmas John the Baptist has his words of advice and warnings for each one of us.  He advises us to prepare the way of the Lord, by true repentance of our past failures and to have a firm resolution to straighten the ways of the Lord that is not to deviate from the true Christian way of life in the future. During Advent, we are called to be repentant of our sins. We are called to pray unceasingly, to make penance, and to perform acts of charity towards our brothers and sisters in Christ.

- @Avinash Bitra OFM Cap.