Second Sunday of Advent Homily Year B

Second Sunday of Advent Homily – Year B

Readings

Isa 40:1-5, 9-I l

2 Pet 3:8-14

Mk 1:1-8

1st Reading – Isaiah 40:1-5, 9-11

¹ “Be consoled, be consoled, O my people!” says your God.

² Speak to the heart of Jerusalem, and call out to her! For her malice has reached its end. Her iniquity has been forgiven. She has received double for all her sins from the hand of the Lord.

³ The voice of one crying out in the desert: “Prepare the way of the Lord! Make straight the paths of our God, in a solitary place.

⁴ Every valley will be exalted, and every mountain and hill will be brought low. And the crooked will be straightened, and the uneven will become level ways.

⁵ And the glory of the Lord will be revealed. And all flesh together will see that the mouth of the Lord has spoken.”

⁹ You who evangelize Zion, climb a high mountain! You who evangelize Jerusalem, lift up your voice with strength! Lift it up! Do not be afraid! Say to the cities of Judah: “Behold, your God!”

¹⁰ Behold, the Lord God will arrive in strength, and his arm will rule. Behold, his reward is with him, and his work is before him.

¹¹ He will pasture his flock like a shepherd. He will gather together the lambs with his arm, and he will lift them up to his bosom, and he himself will carry the very young.

Responsorial Psalm – Psalms 85:9-10, 11-12, 13-14

R. (8) Lord, let us see your kindness, and grant us your salvation.

⁹ I will hear what the Lord God will speak in me:
for he will speak peace unto his people.
¹⁰ Surely his salvation is near to them that fear him:
that glory may dwell in our land.
R. Lord, let us see your kindness, and grant us your salvation.

¹¹ Mercy and truth have met each other:
justice and peace have kissed.
¹² Truth is sprung out of the earth:
and justice has looked down from heaven.
R. Lord, let us see your kindness, and grant us your salvation.

¹³ For the Lord will give goodness:
and our earth shall yield her fruit.
¹⁴ Justice shall walk before him:
and shall set his steps in the way.
R. Lord, let us see your kindness, and grant us your salvation.

2nd Reading – 2 Peter 3:8-14

⁸ Let this one thing not escape notice, most beloved, that with the Lord one day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years is like one day.

⁹ The Lord is not delaying his promise, as some imagine, but he does act patiently for your sake, not wanting anyone to perish, but wanting all to be turned back to penance.

¹⁰ Then the day of the Lord shall arrive like a thief. On that day, the heavens shall pass away with great violence, and truly the elements shall be dissolved with heat; then the earth, and the works that are within it, shall be completely burned up.

¹¹ Therefore, since all these things will be dissolved, what kind of people ought you to be? In behavior and in piety, be holy,

¹² waiting for, and hurrying toward, the advent of the day of the Lord, by which the burning heavens shall be dissolved, and the elements shall melt from the heat of the fire.

¹³ Yet truly, in accord with his promises, we are looking forward to the new heavens and the new earth, in which justice lives.

¹⁴ Therefore, most beloved, while awaiting these things, be diligent, so that you may be found to be immaculate and unassailable before him, in peace.

Alleluia – Luke 3:4, 6

R. Alleluia, alleluia.
⁴ Prepare the way of the Lord, make straight his paths:
⁶ All flesh shall see the salvation of God.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.

Gospel – Mark 1:1-8

¹ The beginning of the Gospel of Jesus Christ the Son of God.

² As it is written in Isaiah the prophet: “Behold, I am sending my messenger ahead of you; he will prepare your way.

³ A voice of one crying out in the desert: ‘Prepare the way of the Lord, make straight his paths.’”

⁴ John the Baptist appeared in the desert proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins.

⁵ People of the whole Judean countryside and all the inhabitants of Jerusalem were going out to him and were being baptized by him in the Jordan River as they acknowledged their sins.

⁶ John was clothed in camel’s hair, with a leather belt around his waist. He fed on locusts and wild honey.

⁷ And this is what he proclaimed: “One mightier than I is coming after me. I am not worthy to stoop and loosen the thongs of his sandals.

⁸ I have baptized you with water; but he shall baptize you with the Holy Spirit.”

Homily

Ways and Waves

“Prepare a way for the Lord, make his paths straight!” (Mk)

            People love creating ripples and making waves. But, Reid Stowe (53) and Alejandro Molina (32) have literally gone too far. Sailing out in a 21-metre schooner named Anne’ from New York Harbor in November 2005, they have embarked upon a 1000-day ‘around the world’ trip. They’ll sail around the Pacific, Atlantic and Indian Oceans and will return to term firma only sometime August 2008. “Everyone has dreamed of just sailing away and leaving everything and everyone behind,” said Stowe, “We’re actually doing it!” Could we just leave everything and everyone behind this Sunday of Advent and sail with Jesus?

            The readings of today tell us to prepare a way for the Lord: “Make a straight highway for our God” (Isaiah), God wants everyone “to change his ways” (Peter), and, “Prepare a way for the Lord” (Baptizer John). Although the message is the same, the contexts of the three reading differ.

            Today’s passage from Isaiah is the best known of his prophesies. It was popularized by the composer G.F. Handel who used it in the three opening pieces of his The Messiah. Obviously, the prophet of the Exile was not thinking about Jesus Christ as the Messiah; but, he had in view the restoration of Israel from the Babylonian Exile around 538 B.C. Cyrus of Persia had won preliminary victories and the power of Babylon was waning.

            The English text of The Messiah reads: “Get you up to a high mountain, O herald of good tidings to Zion; lift up your voice with strength, O herald of good tidings to Jerusalem.” The term good tiding in Hebrew gives us the noun Gospel in its New Testament sense. The good tiding here is the impending divine intervention in history bringing about the return from exile.

            The Exile, in Isaiah, is symbolically portrayed as the Second Exodus. Miracles of the First Exodus Will now be repeated: “Every valley shall be lifted up the rough places made a plain” (v. 4).Note that the Exodus and Exile become typological of future hope. God will repeatedly deliver people because God is true to God self.

            The second reading ascribed to Peter is perhaps a later addition that appeals to Peter’s authority. The community seems disappointed that the Last Day has not yet dawned. Thus, the explanation: “With the Lord a day can mean a thousand years, and a thousand years is like a day.” God is the Master of all times and seasons. But, “The Day of the Lord will come like a thief!” The Christian community is reminded to watch and wait. With hope!

            ‘Today’s gospel marks “The beginning of the Good News about Jesus …” Mark begins with Isaiah’s prophecy and portrays John the Baptist as (a) preacher of repentance, and (b) precursor of the Messiah. Is John’s call to conversion really ‘good news’?

            A woman was dying of cancer. Her doctor said, Ma’am, your’ cancer has spread, and I’m afraid you’ll die soon. Is there any last wish you’d like me to fulfill?” “Yes,” cried the woman weakly, “Can you take me to another doctor?” It’s difficult to accept painful truths like I’m sick, I’m dying, or I’m a sinner. But, John’s accusing finger diagnoses my spiritual cancers, and prescribes their cure: repentance.

            “All Judea and all the people of Jerusalem made their way to him.” Am I one that makes my way to the Baptist? “Prepare away,” says john, “Make paths straight!” The Greek word for repentance, metanoia, etymologically means ‘reverse mind’. John calls me to reverse my mad rush against God and surf safely on the waves of Love.

            The world’s ways are enticing; its waves promise ‘new highs” of narcotics, narcissism, sex, success, popularity and possessions. Indeed, John the Baptist’s “cry in the wilderness” is a far cry from ’what lndo-American Deepak Chopra and other New Agegurus and TV-evangelists promise of ‘instant salvation’. Will I prepare my way’ to meet The Way?