2nd Sunday of Advent, Year B

One more powerful than me is coming (Fr. James McTavish, FMVD)

Continuing our preparation for the coming of the Lord in today’s gospel we encounter John the Baptist. He is in the desert announcing the way of the Lord, preparing a path. He is the voice in the desert crying out. St Augustine said that the Baptist was the voice preparing the way for the Word. The voice disappears but the Word remains.

The words and life of John the Baptist point clearly towards Christ. When Christ walks by, John points his disciples towards Jesus. When questioned about his identity John the Baptist is clear: “I am not the Messiah!” John recognizes that it is Jesus who is the Saviour and that Jesus is more powerful than he is. He announces thus “One more powerful than me is coming after me.”

What peace John must have had! To know that he does not need to control everything, does not need to have all the answers. He knows that he is not the Saviour. How many times we become anxious because we think that we need to be the Saviour. Of course perhaps we don’t realize it but many times our anxiety is from a lack of faith. It could be a lack of faith in God’s power. Or a lack of faith in God’s grace. Or even a lack of faith that the Messiah is coming. We do our part and leave the rest to God. Our task is to point towards Jesus. How many people try to solve the situation themselves? We can learn from John the Baptist. We are also called to help prepare a way for the Lord. Our words and life should point to Him. And we need to have the same trust as John the Baptist. That after we have done our part one more powerful than us will come and complete what is lacking.

John the Baptist reminds us to be faithful to our announcing of the Gospel. In fact his preaching was rather strong. The announcing of Jesus was more merciful. But still John’s preaching helped prepare a Way. God worked with his limitations. With us sometimes we do not always get it quite right. Sometimes we are a bit strong and at other time not strong enough. But God respects our good intentions. The building of the Kingdom goes on despite our frailties. God looks at our hearts and our good desires, not at the appearances or merely external results.

Isaiah gives us an image of the kingdom in the first reading. In this vision the cow and the bear live happily together, along with the wolf and the sheep. It is a symbol of all peoples, often opposites, living in harmony together. The secret? Not merely economic initiatives or political treaties but that a little child shall dwell among them. He is the wonder counsellor, the mighty God, the Eternal Father and the Prince of Peace. He is the shoot that sprouts from the stump of Jesse upon whom rests the spirit of wisdom and understanding, counsel and strength, knowledge and fear of the Lord. This is the One whom John acknowledges is to come, the one who is more powerful than him. Do we place all our faith in this child, the one who is to be born? This One who is born poor and naked, wrapped in swaddling clothes and laid in a manger?

Let us ask for the intercession of John the Baptist, for his faith so we can pray “Come Lord Jesus. Make room in the manger of my heart for your coming.” We ask to believe that after our poor words and deeds you will come. And especially when we feel weak not to be shaken because we know that the One coming after us is more powerful than we are. Maranatha Lord Jesus! Amen.