Repentance Implies Change of Mind and Life
2nd Advent Sunday (B)
Is 40:1-5,9-11; 2 Pt 3:8-14; Mk 1:1-8
A certain captain of a ship at sea discovered that by some mistake the steersman was steering the ship directly towards the rocks. How the danger needs to be avoided? By scrubbing the decks or setting the men to the pumps? No! these things are good enough in their own time. But if the ship was to be saved, one thing must be done – the course or the direction of the ship must be changed. Rightly, the captain uttered a few quick words, and the ship turned and fastened away from the danger. In the same way, John the Baptist’s preaching is a call to humankind to turn from the dangerous rocks of sin and to make a way only towards haven. Repentance results in change of action. Just as the whole ship turns in obedience to the captain, so the change of mind produces a change of life.
John the Baptist was last of the OT prophets and first preacher in the NT. He practiced a life of self-denial. He denounced luxury, soft clothing, sumptuous fare, and he was a living example of the austerity. And how many preachers have been prompted to imitate him! Saints like Martin and Dominic, Anselm and Borromeo have themselves worn the same externals of severity, as the surest way of recommending the self-denial. And though such asceticism is deprecated in the nineteenth century, history bears abundant witness to its power in the past. It was from a hard life in the desert that saints like Gregory Nazianzen and Basil, and Pachomius came forth to preach with such success. The kings burdened with imperial cares, were eager to seek counsel and direction from a lonely and austere monks and prophets.
Repentance, and self- denial helps us to have a change of mind. Such life leads us to God. It attests the beginning of a new life. John the Baptist is presented to us as a model during Advent. We, too, are called upon to prepare a way for the Lord. Like John the Baptist, we are messengers in service to the one who is greater than we are.
We are invited to prepare the path for Christ in out hearts. All the valleys of the unspiritual habits and bad values and all the mountains of the prides and spiritual prides should be levelled. The ground in our heart should be levelled well and made it holy for the Messiah to be born in our hearts and he should be able to travel from us to others that they could cherish his Divine presence. The change of mind in repentance will help us deny ourselves and pleases him to be born in us.
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