Second Sunday of Advent Year C, 09/12/2018

What marvels the Lord worked for us! Indeed we were glad! (Psalms 126). Our journey of life with God has changed us and sometimes in surprising ways. We may be able to sing with the Psalmist of the marvels of God, our hearts filled with joy and gladness. Surely, God is a God of surprise because his ways are not our ways and his thoughts are not our thoughts and therefore we cannot fully know how to prepare for his coming unless prepared by his Word.

John the Baptist is the voice that brings that word in the desert of our lives and hearts. A voice without the word is meaningless and does not build the heart. When our hearts are filled with God’s Word, then we are ready to welcome him in them. Notice that in our liturgy of the mass we start by listening to God’s word that prepares us to receive him in the Eucharist when he comes. Again, in every liturgical action we read the word of God. Why? The word gives meaning to the liturgical action; it prepares us to meet Christ in the liturgical action.

St Paul in the second reading remembers the faithfulness of the Philippians and prays that they may continue to grow in holiness and knowledge of God. Here, in our own time we listen to God’s word knowing that we are invited to prepare the way for the Lord in our own lives and in our world. The word of God comes within our historical claims inviting us to a life of holiness, joy, peace, justice and mercy.

The word of the Lord is the light that illumines our way to meet the Lord. It illumines our hearts and minds to see the marvels deeds of the Lord become the beginning of appreciating faith and a feeling for the need of salvation; which is the way to meet Jesus. Ignorance to the Word of God is ignorance to Christ!

Joy and Peace

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