Second Sunday of Advent (C)

December 9, 2018 

Readings:

First Reading: Baruch 5: 1-9

Psalm: 126

Second Reading: Philippians 1: 4-6, 8-11

Gospel reading according to Luke 3: 1-6

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Homily:

In the second Sunday of Advent, it is shown the real historical persons in the gospel of Luke, with the corresponding events, places, and time.  In those times and places, the emperor and rulers of civil and religious were mentioned.  They were at their proper places with authority and power to each territory. “In the fifteenth year of the reign of Tiberius Caesar, when Pontius Pilate was governor of Judea, and Herod was tetrarch of Galilee, and his brother Philip tetrarch of the region of Ituraea and Trachonitis, and Lysanias was tetrarch of Abilene, during the high priesthood of Annas and Caiaphas, . . .” (Lk.. 3: 1).  The scenes and characters are complete.  Seven great men of that time and important characters in the New Testament are immediately mentioned in the scene.  Tiberius Caesar, emperor of Rome; Pontius Pilate, governor and/or procurator of Judea, Herod Antipas, the tetrarch of Galilee where Jesus stayed, Philip, the tetrarch of the region of Ituraea and Trachonitis or sometimes called Herod Philip II; Lysanias, the tetrarch of Abilene; Annas, the former high priest, and Caiaphas the present high priest and son-in-law of Annas. These personalities have had big roles in the life and death of John the Baptist and our Lord Jesus Christ.  

Who are these people whom Luke gave importance in his gospel?  First of all, Tiberius Caesar Divi Augusti filius Augustus; born16 November 42 BC  and died 16 March 37 AD, was Roman emperor from 14 AD to 37 AD, succeeding the first emperor, Augustus. Tiberius was one of the greatest Roman generals; his conquest of Pannonia, Dalmatia, Raetia, and temporarily, parts of Germania, laid the foundations for the northern frontier.  Next is Pontius Pilate, was the fifth prefect of the Roman province of Judaea, serving under Emperor Tiberius from AD 26/27 to 36/37 AD.  Followed by Herod Antipater; born before 20 BC – died after 39 AD, known by the nickname Antipas, was a 1st-century ruler of Galilee and Perea, who bore the title of tetrarch, "ruler of a quarter," and is referred to as both "Herod the Tetrarch" and "King Herod."  Antipas divorced his first wife Phasaelis, the daughter of King Aretas IV of Nabatea, in favor of Herodias, who had formerly been married to his half-brother Philip. According to the New Testament Gospels, it was John the Baptist's condemnation of this arrangement that led Antipas to have him arrested; John was subsequently put to death in Machaerus.  Next is Philip the Tetrarch, sometimes called Herod Philip II ruled from 4 BC until his death in AD 3.   Philip was born in c.26 BCE. He was a half-brother of Herod Antipas and Herod Archelaus.  Next is Lysanias was the ruler of a small realm on the western slopes of Mount Hermon, mentioned by the Jewish historian Josephus. Followed by Annas, born 23/22 BC – death date unknown, probably around 40 A.D., was appointed by the Roman legate Quirinius as the first High Priest of the newly formed Roman province of Judaea in 6 A.D; just after the Romans had deposed Achelous, Ethnarch of Judaea, thereby putting Judaea directly under Roman rule. Annas officially served as High Priest for ten years (6–15 A.D.), when at the age of 36 he was deposed by the procurator Gratus. Yet while having been officially removed from office, he remained as one of the nation's most influential political and social individuals, aided greatly by the use of his five sons and his son-in-law Caiaphas as puppet High Priests. Last but not the least, Caiaphas, Joseph Caiaphas, known simply as Caiaphas, was the Jewish high priest who organized the plot to kill Jesus. Caiaphas was involved in the Sanhedrin trial of Jesus. The primary sources for Caiaphas' life are the New Testament and the writings of Josephus. Outside of his interactions with Jesus, little else is known about his tenure as high priest. 

During this time, God the Father called another important, significant personality and character, John the Baptist, son of Elizabeth and Zechariah, in the desert where he stayed and lived.  “. . . the word of God came to John the son of Zechariah in the desert” (Lk. 3: 2).  John, born late of 1st century BC – died 28/36 AD), was a Jewish itinerant preacher in the early first century AD.  John used baptism as the central symbol or sacrament of his messianic movement.  John was influenced by the semi-ascetic Essenes, who expected an apocalypse and practiced rituals corresponding strongly with baptism, although no direct evidence substantiates this. John baptized Jesus.  John was sentenced to death and subsequently beheaded by Herod Antipas sometime between 28 and 36 AD after John rebuked him for divorcing his wife, Phasaelis, and unlawfully taking Herodias, the wife of his brother Philip.

 

John was referred and also identified as the spiritual successor of the prophet Elijah, shouting in the wilderness. “He went throughout the whole region of the Jordan, proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins” (Lk. 3: 3); he was roaming around the region of Jordan proclaiming repentance to all for the forgiveness of sins and so returning to God the Father. And also he was baptizing people who were ready to accept his preaching and willing to change their lives.

In his proclamation, he was shouting, crying out the words (in the book) of the Prophet Isaiah, which said, “. . . as it is written in the book of the words of the prophet Isaiah:” (Lk. 3: 4).  The words of the prophet Isaiah were used by John in teaching repentance to the people in the whole region of Jordan for the forgiveness of their sin and in amending their lives.

In this gospel of Luke, here it says, “‘A voice of one crying out in the desert: Prepare the way of the Lord, make straight his paths.  Every valley shall be filled and every mountain and hill shall be made low.   The winding roads shall be made straight, and the rough ways made smooth, and all flesh shall see the salvation of God’.” (Lk. 3: 5-6). There is a voice of a man, though it was not mentioned the name of that man, it is believed that it was the prophet Isaiah or Elijah himself in the ancient times, and of John during the time of Jesus.  He was crying out, shouting and yelling so that many people could hear him.  He was crying out to prepare the way of the Lord, the advent or coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.  He was crying out loud to make straight our ways of life; the paths of our lives must be changed and straightened. In every way and/or path of our lives, we should filled every valley; in every day of our lives we should level and bring forth to lowliness and humility and simplicity our high mountain of pride, anger, and unfriendliness; and the hill of hostility, aggression, opposition, resentment and enmity.  When the Lord comes, our crooked and twisted road of our lives must be straightened.  When the time comes for the coming of the Lord, our rough and unpolished manners, attitudes, characters and personalities must be smoothened.  Every one of us will see the salvation of God when he comes again in glory as we change and amend our lives.