2nd Sunday of Advent Year A - 3/12/2016 - Gospel: Mt 3:1-12
Voice in the wilderness
Christmas lights illuminate at dawn that lightens darkness and brings joy to our eyes. During day time their lights are nothing under the sun but at night their lights attract both human eyes, animals and insects. Christmas lights were born for and took part in the celebration of the birth of Jesus. They remind people about the Season of joy and the hope the infant Jesus would offer to the world. Many people celebrate Christmas by ways of just enjoying holiday breaks and food and drinks. This kind of cultural of consumerism celebrating Christmas is not what true Christians are about to celebrate. Christians celebrate Christmas with Jesus who is the centre of any celebration. We put up Christmas lights for Jesus. We greet people 'Merry Christmas' for Jesus. We put up mangers for Jesus and we go to Christmas Mass for Jesus. We do that for a host of reason. First we give thanks Jesus for coming to live amongst us. Second we give thanks to Jesus for to be one of us. Third, we give thanks to Jesus for rescuing us from the power of darkness and bringing us to the Light. Fourth, we give thanks to Jesus for other coming into our lives in the name of Jesus.
Before Jesus' public ministry John the Baptist went before him calling people to prepare the way for the Lord. John's appearance was wild and he came out from the wilderness. He wore a garment and a belt made out of camel hair and skin. He ate locusts mixed with wild honey. It was a wild life style in his appearance but his message was not wild but it was about God's love. The message was down to earth and relevant to the life of people who were yearning for the meaning and purpose of life. John's message wasn't about himself but it was about Jesus who was appearing after him and who was much more powerful than him. Jesus preached not of his own message but he preached about God's love and mercy. We the followers of Christ preached about Jesus and his life and the cross and his resurrection from the dead. We celebrate Christmas with Jesus who is in the midst of our celebration. Anything else serves as an aid that helps us focus more on Jesus and his presence amongst us.
John cried in the wilderness calling people to repent and return to God, prepare a way for the Lord and make his paths straight. There was another voice that cried out in the wilderness and that was the voice of a baby who cried aloud in the middle of the night and in the middle of the winter. The baby cried aloud partly because the bitterness of a winter but it was more about the coldness existing in a human heart. Hearts turn people away and hearts that deny the existence of God in their lives and hearts worship creation instead of God, the Creator. The baby cried aloud because there was no room for the poor peasant couple but there were plenty of luxury rooms reserved for the wealthy. The baby cried aloud to voice for the voiceless being unheard, justice for all. Today the Church continues to prolong the cry the baby Jesus started.
Before Jesus' public ministry John the Baptist went before him calling people to prepare the way for the Lord. John's appearance was wild and he came out from the wilderness. He wore a garment and a belt made out of camel hair and skin. He ate locusts mixed with wild honey. It was a wild life style in his appearance but his message was not wild but it was about God's love. The message was down to earth and relevant to the life of people who were yearning for the meaning and purpose of life. John's message wasn't about himself but it was about Jesus who was appearing after him and who was much more powerful than him. Jesus preached not of his own message but he preached about God's love and mercy. We the followers of Christ preached about Jesus and his life and the cross and his resurrection from the dead. We celebrate Christmas with Jesus who is in the midst of our celebration. Anything else serves as an aid that helps us focus more on Jesus and his presence amongst us.
John cried in the wilderness calling people to repent and return to God, prepare a way for the Lord and make his paths straight. There was another voice that cried out in the wilderness and that was the voice of a baby who cried aloud in the middle of the night and in the middle of the winter. The baby cried aloud partly because the bitterness of a winter but it was more about the coldness existing in a human heart. Hearts turn people away and hearts that deny the existence of God in their lives and hearts worship creation instead of God, the Creator. The baby cried aloud because there was no room for the poor peasant couple but there were plenty of luxury rooms reserved for the wealthy. The baby cried aloud to voice for the voiceless being unheard, justice for all. Today the Church continues to prolong the cry the baby Jesus started.
Written by Fr Vũđình Tường
St Francis Xavier Catholic Parish
Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Brisbane Australia
St Francis Xavier Catholic Parish
Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Brisbane Australia