"The kingdom of heaven is at hand!" Powerful words from John the Baptizer. He reminds us that God will take things into account, and that we can rely on God's mercy.
There's a virus going around: the Advent virus. Symptoms include:
smiling;
appreciation of others;
a sense of hope!
Let's spread that contagious Advent hope. How can we prepare the way practically? For example, offer a helping hand through our parish Giving Tree, assist someone in need with fuel costs or other household items. Remember those who are homebound or in the hospital. Connect someone to our ministries and podcasts. Yes, include hope in your Christmas list.
The word of God first takes us back to Ancient Israel. Isaiah speaks about an ideal king who possesses wisdom, intelligence, courage, empathy, good judgment, and respect for our all-mighty God. This leader, Isaiah says, will usher in a kingdom of peace, justice, truth and freedom.
Isaiah might ask us how we exemplify these baptismal gifts of the Spirit in our lives: wisdom (to recognize what truly matters), intelligence (to see what's true), courage (to stand up for what's right), empathy (for the needy), good judgment and wonder and awe (to worship the great God of this universe).
Paul in his letter to the Christian community in Rome calls for reconciliation and harmony, asking them to accept, love and support one another as Jesus unconditionally accepts, loves and forgives them. Why? So that they can work together to make their community even better.
Paul asks us to practice virtue: the key organizing principle of a good society! What is virtue? A habitual firm disposition to do good. People doing good means better relationships and a better world.
In the Gospel, John the Baptizer appears with a message of immediacy: repentance, turning away from a self-centered to an other-centered, God-centered life. Why? Because the Messiah is about to come. By the way, I'll leave the locusts but take the honey.
The point is focus: “Prepare the way for the Lord.” Focus on God and the things of God. Advent is about preparing for the messiah.
During Advent the word of God focuses on the biblical personalities Isaiah, John the Baptist, and the Virgin Mary.
Isaiah spoke about a future Messiah, a liberator, a savior.
John the Baptist pointed to Jesus as the Lamb of God. The lamb references the Hebrew Passover meal, the Seder that Jews still celebrate. Jesus is the Lamb who creates a glorious future for us.
The Virgin Mary is the living temple of God, the ark of the covenant, because she carried within herself the very presence of God, the Word made flesh, Emmanuel, God with us.
The word of God will also reference Joseph, who had a dream in which the angel said, “Do not be afraid to take Mary as your wife.”
Parents-to-be usually dream and hope for a safe birth, a healthy child. Then parents may dream that their son or daughter will excel: in sports, sciences, arts, music, etc.
With life's challenges, dreams may change. Mom and Dad may settle for their child learning school courses. Their dream of a sports champ or tech wiz may subside as they wait and hope that their child will recover from an illness or addiction.
Yes, I think of Joseph’s dreams, and the dreams of so many people. The most important dreams for family are these: that they know we love them dearly, we accept them for who they are in God’s eyes, we are always ready to forgive their slip-ups (as we hope they will forgive ours), and we are praying that God will shed his grace upon them.
Like Joseph, let us pray for the grace to see God’s presence in all things; to do things as best we can; to accept people as a gift from God even if they’re not quite the gift we hoped for; and to be a source of affirmation and support to one another.
I close with a bit from a favorite poem of mine about an old violin:
“It was battered and scarred and the auctioneer thought it scarcely worth his while. What am I bid?, he cried. Going for two, going for three dollars, but no! A gray-haired man came forward and played a magnificent melody. Then the auctioneer said, ‘What am I bid for the old violin?’ Three thousand dollars once, three thousand twice. And going and gone! Some wondered, we don’t quite understand. What changed its worth?’ Quick came the reply: ‘The touch of the master’s hand.’
Many a person can become out of tune. "But the Master comes and the crowd never can quite understand the worth of the soul and the change that’s wrought by the touch of the Master’s hand.”
As we prepare for the birth of the child Jesus, let us pray that the Master’s hand will change us into ever more faithful disciples. And may our hands in service be a channel of grace to others, especially those whose lives are out of tune. Amen.
