Shikrot Mpwi - Sunday Synopsis with Fr. Justine J. Dyikuk

Second Sunday of Advent, Year A – Dec 8, 2019

Readings: Is 11:1-10; Responsorial Psalm Ps 72:1-2. 7-8.12-13.17.CR.cf.7;

 Rom 15:4-9 & Gospel Mat 3:1-12.

Theme: Being Heralds of Christ 

Introduction

Friends in Christ, on the Second Sunday of Advent, the Church invites us to be heralds of Christ’s coming. Our liturgy sets before us the heroic example of John the Baptist who defied time and circumstances to witness to Christ. He prepared the people for the coming of Christ and had the humility to say someone more powerful than himself was coming. What is more, he had the courage to challenge the powers that be, the Pharisees and Sadducees, by reordering their lives towards productiveness. We shall take a look at the readings so as to derive the requisite pastoral lessons therein. 

Background and Summary of the Readings

In the first reading (Isaiah 11:1-10), the Prophet Isaiah speaks of a shoot that springs from the stock of Jesse. He reveals how the spirit of God rests on him and how he is endowed with wisdom, insight, counsel, power, knowledge and fear of the Lord. He assures that the Lord’s dwellings shall be glorious and the nations shall seek him. He maintains that righteousness shall be the belt of His waist and faithfulness the belt of His loins and surmises: “…the root of Jesse shall stand as a signal to the peoples. It will be sought out by the nations and its home will be glorious.” Scripture scholars opine that this points to Jesus whom John speaks about in the gospel.

In the second reading (Rom 15:4-9), St. Paul presents some catechesis on hope and tolerance. He urged his audience to follow the example of Christ by being united in mind and voice in order to give glory to God. He further called the faithful to treat each other with Christ’s friendliness.  He maintained that Gentiles are direct beneficiaries of the fulfillment of God’s promises and mercies.

The gospel reading (Mat 3:1-12) reveals the call and ministry of John the Baptist. It tells how he prepared the people for the coming of Christ by saying: “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is close at hand.” We are told that he lived an austere life and when he called people to repentance, they obliged him. The text discloses how he repudiated the Pharisees and Sadducees for not bearing fruits. It also reveals his humility when it stresses that John told the people that someone more powerful than him was coming who would baptize them with the Holy Spirit and fire.     

Pastoral Application and Lessons

1. God Has a Task for Everyone: The prophesy of Isaiah in the first reading of someone coming from the stock of Jesse and the events leading to the birth of St. John the Baptist namely leaping for joy in his mother’s womb clearly reveals the task God had for both Jesus and John which further demonstrates that God has a plan for everyone and he invites us to grow in wisdom, insight, counsel, power, knowledge and fear of the Lord.

2. God Sets Us Apart: The eventful episode of Ein Kerem (Jerusalem) as found in Luke 1:39-56 reminds us about the remote stages of setting John aside for the great task of preparing the people for the coming of Christ – We ought to realise that at Advent and always, He too sets us apart for his mighty works bearing in mind that we must not give up on hope and tolerance as St. Paul indicates in the second reading.

3. God Prepares Us for the Task Ahead: Just as God prepared the Baptist for the task ahead, through the Sacraments of Christian Initiation - Baptism, Holy Eucharist and Confirmation, he prepares us for a fulfilled Christian life with holiness as our girdle.  

4. Dispose Yourself for God: We are reminded that just as the Baptist disposed himself to carry out the sacred task of preparing people for the eventual arrival of Christ, we too must always dispose ourselves to the promptings of the spirit so that God can help us to fulfil our due.

5. Be Heralds His Coming: Just as John was resolute in preparing the people for the coming of Christ, we are charged to live out our baptismal promises to the full through being heralds of Christ’s coming by being salt of the earth and light of the world (Cf. Mt 5:13-16).

6. Stand Your Ground: In a secular world which seeks to annihilate God and good morals, we are encouraged to stand our ground by raising the stakes in order to make the message of Christ’s love more real and visible.  

7. Bring Others to Christ: Since the ministry of St. John the Baptist led the people to confess their sins and receive the baptism of repentance, we have the mandate to bring others to Christ by making our faith contagious – Here, St. Paul’s call on unity in mind and voice and the need to treat each other with Christ’s friendliness can never be overemphasized.  

8. Accept the Word of God for What It Is: That the people were docile to the words of John challenges us to always accept the Word of God for what it is and not conceive it as mere human thinking as St. Paul opines (Cf. 1 Thess 2:13).

9. Go for Confession: Advent gives us another opportunity to come clean through the sacrament of confession where we enjoy God’s unfathomable love and mercies.

10. Be Bold in Speaking the Truth: John the Baptist spoke without mincing words by repudiating the Pharisees and Sadducees which earned him a martyr’s death – in the same light, we are urged to be bold, fearless and courageous in speaking truth to power.  

Homiletic Points to Remember

1. In the first reading, the Prophet Isaiah speaks of a shoot that springs from the stock of Jesse.

2. In the second reading, St. Paul presents some catechesis on hope and tolerance.

3. The gospel reading reveals the call and ministry of John the Baptist.

4. It tells how he prepared the people for the coming of Christ

5. Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is close at hand.

Conclusion

We are called to emulate John’s audience by approaching the throne of grace with assurances that our sins would be forgiven. In particular, lapsed-Catholics and those who are yet to be communicants ought to use the season of Advent to patronise the sacraments as a prerequisite for adequate preparation to meet the Lord at his coming. Pastors of souls are warned against sugarcoating the gospel even as they are encouraged to be bold and courageous in witnessing to the truth. May this Advent help us to emulate St. John the Baptist in proclaiming Christ’s coming in word and deed as we graciously receive the sacraments while proclaiming Him to the world without fear or favour. Amen. Have a fabulous week ahead!