Homily for 2nd Sunday of Advent (6 Dec 2009)

Fr James McTavish FMVD

PREPARE A WAY FOR THE LORD!

One day this week I was feeling a bit discouraged and sad as I could not work out what the Lord was asking from me. In a moment of prayer I was telling Jesus that I felt disheartened. The first line of the first reading of today helped me - “Jerusalem, take off your robe of mourning and misery; put on the splendor of glory from God forever” (Baruch 5:1). It was Jesus himself responding to my prayer, telling me to cheer up, to be patient ‘as we wait in joyful hope for the coming of our Saviour Jesus Christ’ as we say in every mass. Sure enough after a few days things became much clearer and I felt enlightened.

The psalmist today proclaims ‘The Lord works marvels for us, indeed we were glad’ (Psalm 126). Something essential for every one of us is to recognize these little marvels that God works in our lives. What little marvels has the Lord worked in your life this week? Can you answer that question? Stop for a moment. Don’t be in such a rush. What wonders is God working in your life? Many people in our world of today are seeking only the big wonders. But if we fail to spot the obvious little wonders of every day do you really think we will spot the big ones? As G. K. Chesterton commented “The world will never starve for want of wonders, but for want of wonder”.

This week a priest friend shared to me the wonderful thing God did in the life of his family recently. He is a missionary and thus is far from his own country and family. His father fell fatally sick and was about to die. The priest asked the family to put the cellphone next to his semi-comatosed father’s ear and said to him “Don’t die. Please hang on. I will be there in one day”. His father hung on to life, even surviving a cardiac arrest. The priest arrived and was able to be with his father, who actually went on to make a full recovery. Many staff in the hospital were amazed at his recuperation. The priest said to his dad “If you want, I will stay at home from now on”. Do you know what his dad replied from his hospital bed? “No son, the Lord has entrusted you a mission. Go and fulfil your mission”.

Well we can reply, what about the many who don’t recover? That is why I said go and discover the wonders God is doing in your own life first or you will never be convinced, even if a man came back to from the dead!!!

Come Lord Jesus, come into the world as light. Two thousand years ago the light came but was rejected by many. John the evangelist reminds us “He came among his own but his own did not welcome him” (John 1, 11). Before they did not recognize him as a little baby wrapped in swaddling clothes and lying in a manger and still today many times we do not recognize the Lord’s coming in the preaching of the word of God, in the smile of another, in a kind word. How much the world of today needs us to be like John the Baptist! Yes. To prepare the way of the Lord. In today’s gospel, from St Luke, we hear the prophet announcing “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.” (See Luke 3, 1-6).

This is the task of every Christian, to prepare the way for the coming of the Lord. How can we do that? One young woman was sharing her experience in the office. A workmate was flirting with many men. She told the woman that she did not think it was right to play around with the feelings of others. At first the other woman just laughed but then the girl said “You are playing around because your heart is empty”. Later on the colleague thanked her for being so honest with her and came to realize that her truly her heart was empty as she was lacking the love of Christ.

Many Christians are growing in their sensitivity to the Word of God. The Word did not only come to John the Baptist but to many Christians who are trying to cultivate that loving friendship with Christ. Sometimes we doubt that our lives can really be of help to Jesus and his mission. Perhaps our lives are a little chaotic, maybe spiritually barren or deserted. Even we can feel that our life is a bit too wild. But the word comes to John when he is in the desert! When he is in the WILD-erness! The Word does not only come to those souls that are pure, holy and in order. Where did the Word choose to be born 2000 years ago? In a sterile and clean incubator of Jerusalem Maternity hospital where everything was under control and in good order? Or was it not in a cold, damp, dark manger, which was a bit smelly and full of wild animals? That encourages me so much! Lord, there is room in my heart for you. Please be born in the manger of my heart this Christmas!

Let us make the most of this time of preparation. May we become more and more in love with our mission to prepare the way of the Lord in the life of many of our brothers and sisters. Let us ask for the intercession of St John the Baptist, that we too can be these voices in the wilderness helping prepare the way of the Lord in the life of many people. Amen.