SECOND
SUNDAY OF ADVENT
(Baruch 5:1-9;
Philippians 1:4-6.8-11; Luke 3:1-6)
Everyone
has heard of global warming. Scientists say that temperatures across the earth
are rising. Those obsessed with the issue believe that warming spells disaster
by the end of the century. They see the oceans rising to cover the coastal
areas and dislocating billions of people. They anticipate stronger storms along
with longer dry spells. This message is as threatening as John's in the gospel.
John the
Baptist is not new to readers of the Gospel of Luke. He greets Jesus when the
two are forming in the wombs of their mothers. Both also preach the need for
personal reform with the coming of the kingdom of God. However, their messages
are not identical. John emphasizes the negative more than Jesus. For John when the
day of the Lord comes, the unreformed will be destroyed like chaff in the
furnace.
However,
even to John, those who repent have a hopeful future. The first reading
describes what this future will be like. It depicts the hope of Jerusalem at
the end of the exile. The exiles will come from different places freed from
both the scorn and chains of their captors. They will be singing for joy that
they have witnessed the glory of the Lord.
In the
second reading Saint Paul gives the Philippians an idea of the personal
reform required. He especially emphasizes love as the way of life. He says that
Christian love has to flourish in " in knowledge
and every kind of perception." By these words Paul indicates a simple, unsophisticated
spirituality. He wants the disposition of Christians towards others to be more
concerned with virtue than with material things. We frequently sees the lack of
this kind of perception at Christmas time. Parents often rush to buy gifts
their children ask for, even if they are extravagant like iPads and
PlayStations. But the same parents often do not provide their children with
patience, affection, and good example. One can imagine how their children will
turn out as adults. If they are not corrected, they will likely be
unappreciative and demanding. A piece of recent news shows this lack of spiritual
perception. A couple of years ago some wealthy parents paid hundreds of
thousands of dollars to have their children accepted to the most prestigious
universities in the country. Obviously these parents did not consider that they
were teaching their children that money is worth more than study.
The gospel
begins today with John's placement in the history of both Israel and the world.
We are reminded of a similar placement for Jesus when he is born. Saint Luke,
the evangelist most concerned with history, is indicating the importance of
John. As important as Jesus? Not for long. In addition to mentioning the
leadership of the world when Jesus is born, Luke recounts his genealogy dating from
Adam. John is great because he is the last prophet to announce the coming of
the kingdom of God. After John, Jesus introduces the kingdom with healings,
other marvelous deeds, and preaching the wisdom of God. Comparing the two is
like first seeing the beauty of the countryside and then the glory of the
mountains. John's message is worth heeding, but it is only a prelude to the
wisdom of Jesus.
It is said
that it is easier to listen to a prophet than to live with one. The prophets
are so obsessed with their message that they cannot relax. John seems no
exception to this rule. He is demanding and unaffectionate. Anyway, we want to follow him for a bit. For
he guides us to Jesus.
