On this second Sunday of Advent the Liturgy invites us to be ready and prepare to receive the Lord Jesus Christ. We wait eagerly for someone dear to us, one we love, the one we care for and the one we are anticipating to spend our time and treasure with. The season of advent gives us the opportunity to prepare, wait and keep spiritual vigilance to receive and celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ. It is a season that ushers in hope, peace, joy and love due to the grace that abides. Jesus is the reason for the season. As the season of Christmas comes close, many persons, different homes, institutions and religious houses will be engaged in lots of decorations, material preparations, buying and selling of goods and services to make the celebration colorful and beautiful. Most times, few attention is paid on spiritual preparation of the soul.
For this reason, the Gospel reading tells us to prepare the way of the Lord and make his paths straight. How do we make his path straight? It is by following the will of God wholeheartedly. This Spiritual preparation requires us to amend our ugly attitude, repent from our sinful ways, be reconciled back to our Heavenly Father in the Sacrament of Penance, yield to the Word of God and serve Him with our whole heart, mind, soul and strength. All of these are geared unto fruitful encounter with our Lord, Jesus Christ. The encounter is beneficial in order to obtain grace and mercy for our souls, increase our faith, restore our hope and be blessed in all ramifications of life.
The words of John the Baptist is a clarion call for repentance and in confirmation of the prophecy of Isaiah. My dear people of God, the Prophet Isaiah came with message of repentance, hope and restoration. He addressed salvation and redemption to the exiled Jewish people who had been taken out of their own territory to a foreign land where they lack ability to practice and celebrate their faith. This message is likewise timely and apt in our world today where immorality, bribery, forgery, corruption, ungodly worship and other vices has exiled many people from the Lord. Some are willing to be free from the slavery of sin, while others are unwilling due to the lures of the devil, the world and the flesh. So, rather than relaxing on just material or worldly gains, we must progress in our journey in this advent season and heed to the Lord’s call.
Advent is a time for us to stir up our desire for God, fix our hope in the Lord and to deepen our awareness of His love for us. We need to be alert to receive the Lord as soon as he comes. Dear friends in Christ, at this time the Church also reminds us of the second coming of Jesus Christ as King and Lord of the universe. The second reading from the Second Letter of St. Peter enjoins us to live in holiness and godliness, avoiding spot or blemish and be at peace as we wait earnestly for the Lord’s coming. The salient question before us in this season of advent are: are we still in the captivity of sin or in the comfort of God’s love? Assuming the second coming happens now, would you be found worthy of God’s kingdom?
Are we ready to serve in becoming another minister of repentance and hope like St John the Baptist and Prophet Isaiah? Are we ready to drop our old ways of life and become a new creature in Jesus Christ? let us drop our mountain of pride and walk in humility, drop lies and live in truth, avoid troubles and dwell in peace, denounce all wicked ways and wear the garment of righteousness, flee from the captivity of sin and freely serve God in his merciful love. St Augustine says to know God is life, to serve him is freedom and to praise him is the delight of the soul. In line with the Responsorial Psalm, May God give us the grace to obtain His mercy and salvation through Christ our Lord. Amen.
