II SUNDAY OF ADVENT - Luke 3:1-6
The first reading, taken from the prophet Baruch, is full of hope. The people of God are invited to take off the “dress of sorrow and distress” and “put on the beauty of the glory of God for ever”.Indeed, “God will guide Israel in joy by the light of his glory with his mercy and integrity for escort.” (Baruch 5:1-9). And the responsorial psalm invites us to sing joyfully: “What marvels the Lord worked for us! Indeed we were glad.” (Ps 126)
In the gospel, Luke presents the figure of John the Baptist, who is well-situated in the history of his time. He is not a mythical figure. John started his ministry in the “fifteenth year of Tiberius Caesar’s reign” As if that was not enough, Luke mentions the local political and religious rulers of the time. John the Baptist and Jesus are historical figures. They existed and lived in a specific time and place. Thus, at Christmas, we celebrate the birth of someone very real who greatly impacted the history of humankind. Christmas is not the celebration of a myth but the celebration of a birthday - the birthday of the Saviour of the world. It is the celebration of Incarnation, that is the mystery of the Son of God who assumed a human body, being born from the Virgin Mary.
John was sent to prepare the public manifestation of the Messiah. Luke presents John the Baptist as fulfilling the promise made by Isaiah:
“A voice cries in the wilderness:
Prepare a way for the Lord”.
We must prepare ourselves for humankind to “see the salvation of God.” This preparation implies repentance and conversion. We are called to prepare ourselves individually and as a community. so that the Lord finds us ready when he comes.
Let us make ours the Paul’s prayer for the Philippians:
“My prayer is that your love for each other may increase more and more and never stop improving your knowledge and deepening your perception so that you can always recognise what is best. This will help you to become pure and blameless, and prepare you for the Day of Christ, when you will reach the perfect goodness which Jesus Christ produces in us for the glory and praise of God.” (Philippians 1:4-6, 8-11)
