Homilies | Father Nathan

Father Nathan | Homily

2nd Sunday Of Advent

Introduction:

In today liturgy we hear the lonely voice of John the Baptist exhorting us to prepare a way for the Lord.

Let us create a space in our minds and hearts so that the Lord can come to us and dwell with us.

He is the savior and let us prepare the way of the Lord.

John the Baptist calls for repentance, conversion, and renewal, thus preparing the way for the Lord’s second coming. Today’s readings are a call for all of us to have HOPE.

Scripture lessons summarized:

In Today’s first reading (Is 11:1-10) we hear about the coming of the messiah, and the kind of justice and peace he would bring.  He also describes how God will reform the lives of His Chosen People by sending the Messiah.

Isaiah, tries to dispel their fears and to stir up hope among His people with His promise of a new Davidic King (a son of Jesse), who will establish peace and a glorious Kingdom of justice on earth.

Today’s Responsorial Psalm (Ps 72), the Psalmist pictures the Messiah as one who will show compassion to the poor, the lowly, and the afflicted.

The second reading (Rom 15: 4-9) talks about the importance of hope and how we should treat others in the same friendly way Christ has treated us.

Paul sees Jesus as the one through whom God fulfilled his promises.

At the same time the reading from Roman continues the theme of peace and harmony of the first reading.

Today’s Gospel (Mt 3:1-12) We hear once again the voice of the John the Baptist, saying to us what he said to his contemporaries

” Repent, for the kingdom of Heaven is close at hand “

Mathew introduces John the Baptist, as the foretold by Isaiah, of the long-awaited messiah the fulfillment of Old Testament promises.

Mathew wanted to stress on the people that Christ is the messiah and he is fulfillment. He is the king, and we are called to prepare for the HIS coming – the coming of Christ.

Life Messages:

I.)  We are called to give HOPE:

Advent, with its wonderful promises of a new world, takes us on a trip to a place called HOPE. If things and people are perfect, hope would not be needed.

Hope is required precisely because we live in an imperfect world.

We invest our hope.  Hope is as important for our spirit as bread is for our body. Hope is it a vital part of our life. We spend a great deal of our lives longing, waiting, hoping for one thing or another.

It is impossible to live when one is completely without hope. Hope is as important for our life. Hope is doesn’t mean sitting back waiting for things to happen. Hope spurs is into action. It is preciously because we have hope that we work so hard.

We believe our efforts are worthwhile, and that they do make a difference. Our strength, our commitment, depends to a great extent on the degree and quality of our hope. Hope is not a feeling of certainty that everything ends well. Hope is just a feeling that life and work have a meaning.

II.) We need to prepare for Christ’s coming by allowing him to be reborn daily in our lives:

Advent is the time for us to make this preparation by repenting of our sins and renewing our lives through prayer, penance, and the sharing of our blessings with others.

We need to have a vision before us. Then it will give us new energy to live it out, right where we are, instead of encouraging us to escape from real life.  This beautiful vision summons us to get involved.

We must open our hearts to the dream which prophets cherished of a world rid of evil by human effort and grace of God.

Jesus had word for the new world. He called it ”the kingdom of God” he inaugurated that kingdom.

He wants his followers to dedicate themselves to the building of that kingdom

III.) We need to wait prayerfully with hope for the second advent of Jesus. 

John’s answer as to how the Jews should wait for the Messiah was that they should wait for the Lord with repentant hearts and reformed lives.

We can start by praying from the heart. Let us remember that the Holy Mass is the most powerful of prayers because it transforms us into Eucharistic people, providing the living presence of Jesus in our hearts and his divine life in our souls.

Conversion is through Jesus whom we encounter, mainly, through the Holy Scripture and the Sacraments.  The Word and the Sacraments are the principal means God uses to give life to our souls.

Daily reconciliation with God, as we ask and receive His pardon for our daily sins and make our monthly sacramental confession, make us strong and enable us to receive more grace in the Eucharist.

Let us read the Bible, pray the Rosary daily and fast once a week all year-round, rather than just during Advent and Lent.

After all, we sin all year-round, so let us fast also all year-round by controlling our senses.

We could take some time before Mass to adore Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament, and we should practice forgiving those who offend us.

Finally, let us share our love with others as selfless and humble service.

“Do small things but with great love,”

advise St. Therese of Lisieux and St. Teresa of Calcutta (Mother Teresa).

Amen…

Have a Blessed Week,

Fr. Nathan