Homilies & Reflections
2nd Sunday of Advent by Rev Fr. Lucas Binnah
Read : 1 st Reading: Isaiah 40:1-5.9-11 /Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 85:9ab and 10.11-12.13-14 (R.8) 2 nd Reading: II Peter 3:8-14 /Gospel Acclamation: Luke 3:4.6 /Gospel: Mark 1:1-8
Theme: John the Baptist: Voice of Repentance And Conversion
Last Sunday, we began the season of Advent with the call to be vigilant as we wait expectantly for our Messiah, Jesus Christ, at Christmas and at the end of time. Today, the person and mission of John the Baptist is highlighted for our reflection as he calls us to repentance and conversion in anticipation of the manifestation of Christ. Positive change is required; however, we should not just change but improve on ourselves and to make progress on our spiritual journey with Jesus.
So, in the first reading, the Prophet Isaiah makes a case for deep-hearted conversion when he prophesies thus: “A voice cries: ‘In the wilderness prepare the way of the Lord, make straight in the desert a highway for our God. Every valley shall be lifted up, and every mountain and hill be made low; the uneven ground shall become level, and the rough places a plain … Behold your God! Behold, the Lord comes with might, and his arm rules for him; behold his reward is with him, and his recompense before him” (Is. 40:3-4, 10). The valley of sin must be filled in with contrition, and the mountain of pride must topple down giving way to humility. When this happens, David assures us: “a humble spirit and a contrite heart, O God, you will not despise” (cf. Ps. 51:17). When we repent, God recompenses us with salvation. For this reason, David tells us again: “His salvation is near for those who fear him and his glory will dwell in our land” (Ps. 85:9). Therefore, in our repentance, let us seek God’s help and cry to him: “Let us see, O Lord, your mercy and grant us your salvation” (Ps. 85:8).
Is there really any incentive for repentance and conversion when we see all around us how the wicked keep on progressing while the righteous suffer in want? Why is the wicked not punished and the righteous rewarded? In the face of this difficult puzzle, St. Peter, in the second reading, provides us with a clear-cut answer. According to him, it may seem to us that God is slow or seems to be absent in certain situations in life. However, “…with the Lord one day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day. The Lord is not slow about his promise as some count slowness, but is forbearing towards you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance” (II Pet. 3:9). That is to say that God’s patience is an opportunity for us to repent and not to take him for granted! He gives everybody time and chance to make good any faults since he wants all to be saved (cf. I Tim. 2:4). He does not want the sinner to die in their sin but to repent and be saved (cf. Ez. 18:23). This is the character of God.
So, how can we make repentance and conversion real in our lives? St. Mark in his Gospel, sees Isaiah’s prophecy in the first reading fulfilled in the life of John the Baptist: “The voice of one crying in the wilderness: Prepare the way of the Lord, make his paths straight” (Mk. 1:3). John the Baptist comes as the precursor of Jesus Christ, and, it is St. Mark’s intention to have us focus our attention on the personality and apostolate of John so as reap the benefits of genuine conversion. John preached a message of repentance, and also baptised those who accepted his message. He was a messenger and he knew that perfectly well! His message was simply Christ, the Messiah and how we can prepare to welcome him into our hearts, our society and the world.
According to John, repentance and conversion were, and are always the conditio sine qua non for God’s forgiveness (cf. Mk. 1:4). In other words, they are the necessary requirements without which no one can obtain God’s forgiveness. John’s preaching was not just mere words; he also showed the way by his life of penance. He lived in the desert with all the harsh, uninviting, unattractive, sun-scorching, heat-biting and sand-bashing conditions. He was also clothed in camel’s hair with a leather belt around his waist. He ate locusts and wild honey. John was simply a person of simplicity who understood the principle that to overcome sin, one ought to embrace mortification. Today in our world, people wish and pray to change, but are not ready to mortify themselves through self-abnegation and spiritual exercises. If a pastor’s preaching is focused on repentance rather than prosperity, sin rather than wealth, fasting rather than celebration, he may not get a wide audience. No wonder the consequences have overwhelmed all of us to the extent that, we pray and go to church, yet come back home the same if not worse than before! We receive the sacraments, but we are not converted! We should imitate John the Baptist and we will have dominion over all the things which seem to dominate us, be it sin and evil, weakness and perversion, or corruption and bad governance. The point is, we need to improve on ourselves.
Furthermore, John the Baptist was humble and self-effacing. He was unassuming. This is evident in the statement when he says: “After me comes he who is mightier than I, the thong of whose sandals I am not worthy to stoop down and untie” (Mk. 1:7). Listen to John here! In the Jewish culture, it is the work of slaves to untie sandals and to wash the feet of their masters and visitors. In effect, what John is saying is that, he is not even qualified to be a slave or servant! In other words, he deems it a privilege to serve others! Again, by saying that “I have baptised you with water; but he will baptise you with the Holy Spirit” (Mk. 1:8), John was emphasising that Christ was superior while he was inferior. He will later speak about Jesus in John’s Gospel in the following words: “He must increase, and I must decrease” (Jn. 3:30). When pride gives way to humility and simplicity, forgiveness and favour are born. And humility is not humiliation as the world misconstrues it to be. Today, we have the choice of learning from John the Baptist’s lifestyle so as to make a paradigm shift in our journey through Advent. We can if we try our best. Beloved in Christ, opportunities abound everywhere. The Season of Advent is one of them. Opportunities are the stepping stones to progress, restoration and fulfilment. Nevertheless, as good as opportunities may be, they still have deadlines. They have expiry dates. For the Jews, if everybody will obey God perfectly, then God’s kingdom will come. Half-baked repentance never gets results. We can hasten the coming of the Lord by embracing genuine and positive change, and John is showing us the way to Jesus. We may be trying our best and may have failed many times. Let us not get disappointed and discouraged. Let us keep on keeping on knowing God is with us. God sees our efforts and longings, and will listen to us when we cry out: “Let us see, O Lord, your mercy and grant us your salvation” (Ps. 85:8). Shalom! Happy Sunday and may God richly bless us! Remember John the Baptist and think of: #Repentance and Conversion#.
By Rev. Fr. Lucas Binnah Junior, C.S.Sp