9.12.2007 - 2nd Sunday of Advent - Year A
First Reading Psalm Second Reading Gospel Reading

When Jesus, the Son of man, returns, he will want to find people and nations who live his Word and present it to the world with love. He will enjoy seeing communities of people who put his teachings into practice and who live together in him fulfilling his mission to make the Father's love a reality for all people. Faith and love are not separate although they are different attitudes. Whoever believes, does so realizing God's love and whoever loves, loves truly only because of God. Only love which comes from faith can be disinterested and free. Believing is the foundation of true love, that which gives it substance and perseverance. For this reason Jesus looks for those who believe. Love is important for in loving we participate in God's essence, but it must be true love founded in faith. In "believing" we do not mean merely believe that God exists, or profess faith in a divinity. In the New Testament "believers" are those who have accepted Jesus as Lord and the Son of God who died and rose again from the dead. The term distinguishes Christians from Jews! Not that the latter do not believe in God, but their faith is not complete; they do not believe in "him whom the Father sent"! This is the belief that makes a difference in the lives of people filling them with hope and giving them a reason to live a life of love. Christian belief is therefore, distinct from the belief of other religions. Some religions do not use the word believe because they do not have a personal God and there is no meeting with Him, as in the case of Buddhism for example. In the early religions there are one or more divinities. These may be petitioned to help us and not to harm us, but there is no relationship of trust that goes beyond death. Even in Islam which professes one God, there is no live relationship of God with man; all fears remain and are the fruit of the presence of death.

The words of John the Baptist illuminate and complete those of the prophet Isaiah which we can read in one of the most beautiful and richest passages of hope. He proclaims the one who will live in the Spirit of the Lord and will bring that Spirit to earth so that it will be renewed. His judgements are sure and stable and we will learn to understand good and evil. His word is true and gives certainty to those who keep it. When he is listened to and obeyed the dreams of all mankind will come true, dreams of peace, of communion, of sharing. The prophet speaks with eloquent images; wild animals will no long cause fear, and will be happy together: the lamb will lie down with the wolf, the cow with the bear, the venomous with the suckling, the panther with the kid and these will no longer be synonymous with danger and hostility, with fear and death. When he who has been foretold is with us, these things will change. Now, those who are violent, arrogant, who cheat and lie cause suffering and force people to be vigilant, to doubt, to be suspicious, to be restless and tense, but when the Lord comes all these situations will change. In hearts full of hostility the desire for peace will enter and the ability to see eye to eye and this will be a great occasion for the consolation of all.
The prophecy is true and it is time to prepare for the coming of the one who bears the Spirit of the Lord! John the Baptist begins this preparation. He dresses like a prophet and eats only the essential in order to attract people's attention; he goes into the desert to meet those who are travelling so that his words might reach many places and cities. His efforts undertaken in obedience to God are rewarded: crowds gather to hear his message and their hearts are converted. This happens with the confession of sins; one cannot hear God's messenger and continue to justify one's selfishness and disobedience! Those who come to him only out of curiosity without changing their ways and without recognising their lack of faith in God's alliance are called "vipers"! Whoever thinks they are alright and that they do not need God's messenger and they judge others, are dangerous people of whom one should beware for they can be trusted as much as poisonous snakes. We will not look for these attitudes in others, we will take care not to have them ourselves! We will try to learn from the Lord Jesus and to keep his feelings within us for they are benevolent, faithful, merciful and full of God's praises. The apostle Paul exhorts us to this in his letter to the Romans; he exhorts us to read the Scriptures that are a gift from God to us. Through them we can know God, through them we can grow in wisdom and discerning and persevere in the faith and receive consolation. Our hopes can be nourished, hopes without which life loses it's taste, it's joy and our will weakens. Let us love the Scriptures and read them with perseverance!

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