In the Gospel Reading of last Sunday, First Sunday of Advent (Luke 21:25-28, 34-36), we were reminded that vigilance is a persistent virtue throughout our Advent preparation to welcome the incarnated Christ at his arrival in our hearts. This way, not only that we can remain diligent in our preparation but also that we will not miss any important signs and signals as the adventus of Christ draws nearer.
So, have you been attentive in your preparation so
far? A week has passed since we began this liturgical year’s Advent journey.
And now we are on Second Sunday of Advent.
In the Gospel Reading for Second Sunday of Advent
(Luke 3:1-3), we see John the Baptist, the son of Zachariah the priest and
Elizabeth, Mary’s relative, was busy preparing the way of the incarnated Christ
to come, as the last prophet under the Old Testament covenant. Having received
the Word of God (Luke 3:2), John the Baptist realized that it was time for him
to start his prophetic preparatory ministry in the Jordan valley region of
Judea to let the Israelites know to make the way of Christ to come. John the
Baptist was certainly vigilant for the Word to come to him in knowing when to
begin his preparatory ministry.
According to John the Baptist, it is how we prepare
the way of Christ to come is to have baptism of repentance for forgiveness of
sins (Luke 3:3). What it means to us in today’s context is that we need to
confess our sins and let Christ, as acted in a priest (in persona Christi), absorb our sins through the Sacrament of
Reconciliation as our Advent preparatory work to welcome the incarnated Christ
in our hearts. And Second Week of Advent (this week) is a good time to have our
sins absorbed. Imagine what it would be like for Christ to be in a heart filthy
with sins. This way, we prepare ourselves – prepare to make our hearts pure and
therefore pleasing to Christ (i.e. Colossians 1:10) at his arrival.
Yes, we have received the Sacrament of Baptism to
initiate Christian life. So, it served as vitae
spiritualis ianua (the gateway into life of the Spirit), allowing us
to receive other six Sacraments (Catechism
of the Catholic Church, 1213), including the Sacrament of Reconciliation.
Therefore, removing sins out of our hearts to make sure our hearts are pleasing
to Christ through the Sacrament of Reconciliation is an essential part of our
Advent preparation.
By urging the Israelites to be baptized for repentance
and forgiveness of sins to be ready for the coming of Christ, John the Baptist,
as the voice crying out in the wilderness (Luke 3:4; Isaiah 40:3a), served to fulfill
this prophesy of Isaiah (Isaiah
40:3b-5):
Prepare the way of the Lord,
make straight his paths.
Every valley shall be filled and
every mountain and hill shall be made low.
The winding roads shall be made straight, and
the rough ways made smooth,
and all flesh shall see the salvation of God (Luke 3:4b-6).
So, a focus on our Advent preparatory work for the Second Week of Advent is the cleanliness of our hearts by having our sins absorbed – all obstacles in Christ’s way of coming removed. And, a refreshing and joyous image of cleanliness in renewal is reflected in the First Reading (Baruch 5:1-9). So, God said:
Jerusalem,
take off your robe of mourning and misery; put on forever the splendor of glory
from God: Wrapped in the mantle of justice from God, place on your head the
diadem of the glory of the Eternal One (Baruch 5:1-2).
Take off robe of mourning and misery… Literally,
this means to transition from the exilic mourning and misery for having
Jerusalem destroyed by the Babylonians, because God was ready to renew the
post-exilic Jerusalem with His splendors for renewal, shining with the glory of
Christ. Historically, the exile in Babylon ended and Jerusalem was rebuilt and
renewed with its new Temple (the Second Temple). Yes, indeed, the Lord has done great things for
us; we are filled with joy! (Psalm 126:3), as sun in the refrain
of the Responsorial Psalm (126:1-2, 2-3, 4-5, 6).
Sins can make us grieve and mourn because we may lose
so many things to them. We can lose our good relationship with God for sins –
breaking God’s covenant with us as we sin. If we were in this state, we cannot
offer a straight way for the incarnated Christ to come into our hearts.
By taking off robe of mourning and misery, filthy of
our sins, through the Sacrament of Reconciliation, we shall be fitting to receive
new clean splendid garment with Christ’s glory on top!
So, there are parallels between Baruch 5:1-2 and
Isaiah 40:3b-5, as cited in Luke 3:4b-6.
And what John the Baptist was calling to fulfill Isaiah
40:3b-5 in Luke 3:4b-6 is also reflected in God’s commanding words here:
Every
lofty mountain and the age-old hills be made low, that the valleys be filled to
make level ground, that Israel may advance securely in the glory of God (Baruch 5:7).
While we prepare the way of the incarnated Christ’s
coming, making it straight and smooth, by removing what make it rough and
bumpy, namely our sins, out of our hearts, God is leading us in joy by His
glorious light, with His mercy and justice (i.e. Baruch 5:9).
Are we vigilant to see this leading and guiding light
of God’s glory while keeping ourselves busy with our Advent preparatory works –
not with shopping and all these worldly things that stress us out? Remember, God
is leading us in joy. So, we shall also rejoice with God, as we are heading to
Gaudete Sunday (Third Sunday of Advent) to taste our anticipatory joy for the
great joy of welcoming the incarnated Christ in our ready hearts, pleasing to
him soon!
So, as reflected in the Second Reading (Philippians 1:4-6,
8-11), we shall pray for one another with joy as we are in partnership for the
Gospel so that our love for Christ and one another will further grow,
discerning what is of value for this and increasing our hearts’ purity, to
become ready to welcome Christ in with great joy!
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