Second Sunday of Advent (B)

December 10, 2017

Readings:

First Reading – Isaiah 40: 1-5, 9-11

Psalm 85

Second Reading – 2 Peter 3: 8-14

Gospel reading according to Mark 1: 1-8

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Homily: Prepare the way of the Lord!

In the gospel for this Second Sunday of Advent, Mark is introducing to us one of the greatest messengers and prophets, John the Baptizer.  He is described as: “John the Baptist appeared in the desert proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. . . .  John was clothed in camel’s hair, with a leather belt around his waist.  He fed on locusts and wild honey” (Mark 1:4, 6).  It was repeated to John the Baptizer, what was prophesied during the time of the prophet Isaiah in the first reading.  In ancient time, it was heard: “A voice cries out.  In the desert prepare the way of the Lord!  Make straight in the wasteland a highway for our God!  Every valley shall be filled in, every mountain and hill shall be made low, the rugged land shall be made a plain, the rough country, a broad valley” (Isaiah 40: 3-4).  This cries in the desert was repeated during the time of John, the herald of the great King (Jesus Christ), for he was the messenger, the one sent ahead by God to prepare the way of the Lord (cf. Mark 1: 2).  John, the new Isaiah, at the coming of the Lord Jesus Christ, was the one voice crying out in the desert.  Before God sends His only Son, Jesus Christ, He is sending ahead of Him a messenger to prepare for Him his way.  It said: “Behold, I am sending my messenger ahead of you; he will prepare your way.  A voice of one crying out in the desert: ‘Prepare the way of the Lord, make straight his path’.” (Mark 1:2-3).  To prepare the way of the Lord, John announced and performed to the people a baptism, a cleansing for the forgiveness of sins. 

During the time of John many “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” (Mark 1:5). This announcement, this cries of the prophet of old and the new messenger of God to us, the followers of Jesus and as baptized Catholic Christians, must be done and fulfilled by each one of us as an individuals and as a community of disciples.  We have to prepare also the way of the Lord.  We have to amend our lives by straightening our relation to one another and to Him, the wasteland (non-passable) into a highway (passable) relationship; the broken (valley) of life to make whole once more by filling in good things; the pride as high of the mountain and hill shall be humbled by lowering and not giving more importance of ourselves; the rugged selves harden by bad experiences and events in life shall be made plain to ease and to forgive to soften ones heart; and as a community of disciples, the misunderstanding and conflicts (as rough country) shall be replace of harmonious relationship, forgiveness and love (as a broad valley).  When we do these things, “Then the glory of the Lord shall be revealed, and all mankind shall see it together” (Isaiah 40:5).

We are waiting for the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.  This Jesus whom John proclaimed is: “One mightier than I is coming after me.  I am not worthy to stoop and loosen the thongs of his sandals.  I have baptized you with water, he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit” (Mark 1:7-8).