Friday of the
Second Week of Advent
(Isaiah 48:17-19; Matthew 11:16-19)
Fyodor Dostoyevsky’s great novel The Brothers Karamazov imagines a contrast between two monks. Fr. Zosima is the hero’s hero who teaches
Alyosha, the main character, how to love.
He is a gentle, holy man who can enjoy the sweets the ladies from town
brought him. Fr. Ferapont is a very
ascetic monk who criticizes Zosima’s indulgent ways. The two form a rough contrast to Jesus and
John the Baptist in today’s gospel.
Jesus is exhorting the crowds to change their ways. He is amazed at their stubbornness. He says that John the Baptist came fasting
and doing penance as a way of freeing himself for the coming wrath of God, but
the masses did not repent. Now Jesus has
come demonstrating God’s mercy by partaking of the goodness of the earth, and
the people still do not want to change their sinful ways. The only consolation Jesus offers the few who
do repent is that their decision will be proved as wise in the future.
We too are called to convert. The Advent season is an opportune time to
begin. We want to prepare for Jesus’
coming not so much with buying and partying but with a constant meditation on the
benefit God becoming human brings to us.
