Second Sunday of Advent: Gospel C

In the fifteenth year of the reign of Tiberius Caesar, when Pontius Pilate was governor of Judea, and Herod was tetrarch of Galilee, and his brother Philip tetrarch of the region of Ituraea and Trachonitis, and Lysanias was tetrarch of Abilene, during the high priesthood of Annas and Caiaphas, the word of God came to John the son of Zechariah in the desert.

· Luke sets the ministry of John the Baptist (and of Jesus) in its historical context, in particular, during the Roman Empire.

· This would be around 28-29AD.

· Following the death of Herod the Great, his kingdom was divided into four parts.   Herod Antipas, one of the sons of Herod the Great, ruled Galilee.  We know little about Philip (except that Herodias, whom Herod married, was first married to Philip) and Lysanias. Along with the connection to Tiberius and Pilate, Luke further situates John’s ministry in the political context of his day.

· According to Jewish tradition there could be one high priest at a time and he remained for life. The Romans insisted that there would be some tenure. So even though in fact Caiaphas was the high priest, Annas was still recognized as such by the people.  This is the religious context.

· God has chosen John to be the forerunner of the Christ.

· That the word of God came to John in the wilderness reminds the people of the covenant which was ratified in the desert or wilderness.

John went throughout the whole region of the Jordan, proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins, as it is written in the book of the words of the prophet Isaiah: A voice of one crying out in the desert: “Prepare the way of the Lord, make straight his paths. Every valley shall be filled and every mountain and hill shall be made low. The winding roads shall be made straight, and the rough ways made smooth,

and all flesh shall see the salvation of God.”

· The purpose of the repentance and the baptism as a sign of their desire for forgiveness was to prepare their hearts to receive the word of the Messiah.

· Luke situates John’s ministry in the prophetic context. He quotes Isaiah 40:3-5.

· It was the custom of the day for the king to send messengers ahead of him to prepare the people for his pending visit. God sends John to be his spokesperson.

· During this Advent season what are we doing to prepare our hearts for a deeper coming of Jesus, so that we too can see his salvation?

· Will that preparation include the Sacrament of Reconciliation? Will it include the forgiveness of others as well as asking their forgiveness?

· Pray: Come, Lord, Jesus, Come.  Come into my heart in a fuller way. Draw me into your presence.

 "There are two births of Christ, one unto the world in Bethlehem; the other in the soul, when it is spiritually reborn. Men think of the former much more than the later, and celebrate it every year; but the spiritual Bethlehem is equally momentous...It was the second birth that Saint Paul insisted on when he wrote from prison to his beloved people, the Ephesians, asking that Christ may dwell in their hearts by faith and that they be rooted and grounded in love. This is the second Bethlehem, or the personal relationship of the individual heart to the Lord Christ." (Venerable Fulton Sheen)

During this Advent season as we prepare to celebrate the birth of Our Savior, we are reminded that because of his birth, death and resurrection we have been given the grace to be reborn as a child of God. Without his birth, our rebirth would not have been possible. In honoring his birth  with gratitude, we are also honoring our rebirth with heartfelt thanks. We honor his birth by sharing gifts with one another. The gift that means most to God is our love for one another for his sake. The gifts we exchange at Christmas are important. But what is of greater importance is the love we express to others in our daily encounters with them. This is the gift we give to Jesus in thanksgiving for his birth and our rebirth in the waters of salvation.

 "We do not preach only one coming of Christ, but a second as well, much more glorious that the first. The first coming was marked by patience; the second will bring the crown of a divine kingdom. In general, whatever relates to our Lord Jesus Christ has two aspects. There is a birth from God before the ages, and a birth from a virgin at the fullness of time. There is a hidden coming, like that of rain on fleece and a coming before all eyes in the future. At the first coming he was wrapped in swaddling clothes in a manger. At his second coming he will be clothed in light as in a garment. In the first coming he endured the cross, despising the shame; in the second coming he will be in glory, escorted by an army of angels." (St. John Chrysostom)

As we begin this new Advent season, our focus is not on a past event, even though we are preparing to celebrate the birth of our Savior on Christmas, but on a present and future event. In his first coming the world waited in patience for the promises of God to be fulfilled. In his second coming, he will come in glory as King. His first coming was quiet, was announced by angels, and was experienced by a few. His second coming will be more glorious with signs and wonders preceding his return as judge of the living and the dead. In his first coming, his name was written in the synagogue as a newly circumcised devotee of the Most High. In his second coming, only those whose names are written in the Book of Life will celebrate and be with him forever in glory. Prepare to remember his birth but, more importantly, be prepared to welcome him when he comes for you at a time and day you know not.