Friday of the
Second Week of Advent
(Isaiah 48:17-19;
Matthew 11:16-19)
Jesus and John differ
in culinary tastes. As today’s gospel indicates,
Jesus enjoys food and drink while John mostly abstains. The two also differ in their preaching
emphases. Jesus is inclined to speak of
God’s concern for the sinner. John
emphasizes God’s wrath for the unrepentant.
In today’s gospel Jesus declares that the people listen to neither.
People are often
recalcitrant. They especially become
comfortable to sinful ways. They know it
would be better to reform but cannot muster the will to do so. They are infected by the sin of acedia,
sometimes called sloth. Acedia is the
sin of loving tepidly. That is, they do
not love enough. Many these days love
God, but not enough to go to church. Alcoholics
say that they love their families, but not enough to stop drinking. In the end they adjust to things the way
they are.
The Son of God has
come to us in flesh and blood to move us out of acedia. He gives us example to show us how to love. He displays to us the eternal reward awaiting
those who love truly. He prods us with
warnings to love sincerely. We must
leave behind slothful ways.
