Second Sunday of Advent (B)

 December 6, 2020

 Readings:

First Reading: Isaiah 40: 1-5, 9-11

Psalm 85 “Lord, let us see your kindness, and grant us your salvation.”

Second Reading: 2 Peter 3: 8-14

Gospel reading according to Mark 1: 1-8

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Homily:

On this Second Sunday of Advent, we are brought to the beginning of the gospel of Mark.  “The beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ the Son of God” (Mark 1: 1). Mark’s gospel taught us that Jesus, the Christ, the anointed One, the Messiah, is the Son of God, who suffered and died to save us from sin and death. Mark began his gospel introducing Jesus Christ as the Son of God.  When we read Mark’s Gospel, we learn that to be a follower of Jesus, we, too, must be willing to make sacrifices, to “take up our cross and follow” (Mark 8:34) Jesus as he asks us to do (http://saintsresource.com/mark-the-evangelist).   

Mark also brought us at the time of the prophet Isaiah, prophesying that a messenger of God will be sent first to prepare the way of the Lord. “As it was written in Isaiah the prophet: 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 paths” (Mark 1: 2-3).  Isaiah said, “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 shad be filled in, every mountain and hill shall be made low, the rugged land shall made a plain, the rough country, a broad valley.  Then the glory of the Lord shall be revealed and all mankind shall see it together for the mouth of the Lord has spoken” (Is. 40: 3-5).  This messenger will go first and cry out saying prepare the way of the Lord, make straight his paths, as if he was saying, straightening our ways of life, our manner of living, and our relations to others and to God.  With these actions of changing our lives and listening to the words of God will reveal the glory of God who made us.

The prophecy of Isaiah happened to John, son of Zechariah and Elizabeth, and cousin of Jesus. “John the Baptist appeared in the desert proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins” (Mark 1: 4).  John lived in the desert near the Jordan River and there he cried out repentance for the forgiveness of sin and baptism to wash away the stain of sins committed against ones neighbor and against God.  “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).  And the people went to John and were baptized by him to prepare themselves at the coming of the Lord, Son of God.  The people from the countryside of Judea and Jerusalem recognized in the person of John a true prophet, a true messenger sent from God who brought glad tidings to all the sons of Israel. We too, his followers, are called for repentance of our sins and transgressions to a God who loved us and still loves us despite of our many sins we have committed.

Mark described the way of living of John; what he wore, and what he ate.   “John was clothed in camel’s hair, with a leather belt around his waist.  He fed on locusts and wild honey” (Mark 1: 6).  He lived a simple, austere life; he lived a hermit life dependent on the providential care of God who sent him.

John was the one who will proclaim and announce the coming of Jesus Christ, the Son of God and our Savior.  “And this is what he proclaimed: 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).  He said a mighty One is coming.  He was true to himself.  He was humble enough to say that he is not the mighty One who is to come.  He even lowered himself to a slave who is not worthy to stoop and loosen the thongs of sandals of the One who is coming.  He baptized with water to wash away the sins of many sons and daughters of Israel, but the One who is coming will baptize many with the Holy Spirit, to strengthen their faith.  

On our behalf, when He (Jesus Christ, the Son of God) comes, may He find us repentant and cleansed from our sins, prepared and ready to welcome Him in our homes, and in our lives.  These describe ourselves, Isaiah and John likened us to the wasteland, a wasted life without life to make it a busy highway for our God!  Every valley, an empty life shall be filled in with God’s love and mercy, every mountain and hill, with pride and proud life shall be made low, humble and simple life, our rugged land, crooked life, without direction shall made a plain, and the rough country, a sinful life a broad valley.  God’s mercy is for all, “for the mouth of the Lord has spoken,” as what Isaiah said. He waited for us to change our life for the better or best.  Just listen to the cry of John the Baptist and do what he tells us, repent and prepare the way of the Lord, the Son of God, for he is coming soon.