Our God Will Come and Save Us
Baruch
5:1-9; Phi 1:4-6,8-11; Lk 3:1-6 (Advent C 2)
“Lo, the Lamb, so long expected, Comes with pardon down
from heav’n” (Divine Office)
This
week and next, our Gospel readings invite us to consider John the Baptist and
his relationship to Jesus. John the Baptist appears in the tradition of the
great prophets, preaching repentance and reform to the people of Israel. He
baptizes for repentance and forgiveness of sins, preparing the way for God’s
salvation. Today, God addresses his word to us through John the Baptist. Our
Jordan River can be the Sunday Eucharist. It can be Pope Francis’ tweet
reminding us that “The content of Christian testimony is not a theory, ...but
better yet a person: the risen Christ, the living and only Savior of all”. God has entered the story of our life because
Christ is not a theory. He is the saving practice, Charity, and Mercy”.
We
have many valleys to fill, many paths to smooth, and many mountains to move. But
we will not lack the necessary means if we rely upon God’s grace. We shall be
precursors insofar as we live near our Lord. We are called to be his witnesses.
What the soul is to the body, so are Christians within our world. We have to love the world we live in with all
our heart, as a great writer used to say, “Love Creation in its entirety and
its elements, each leaf, each beam of light, the animals, the plants. And,
while loving them, you will be given to understand the divine mystery of
things. And once this is understood we shall end up loving the whole world with
a universal love”.
The
call of John the Baptist “make straight his paths” is not new. Many centuries ago,
prophet Baruch also prophesied the same: “For God has commanded that every lofty
mountain and the age-old hills be made low, that the valleys be filled to make
level ground, that Israel may advance securely in the glory of God” (Bar 5:7).
The same prophets are giving us the same warning. Israel listened to the word
of God, and the Lord made the captives of Zion to return back. If we reject the
obstacles like hills of pride and valleys of warmth, we will sing with tears in
our eyes: “The LORD has done great things for us; Oh, how happy we were!” (Ps
126,3).
The
Lord Jesus sets us free from slavery to sin and makes us whole. The Lord Jesus
is ready to bring us healing in body, mind, and soul. His grace brings us
freedom from the power of sin and from bondage to harmful desires and
addictions. Do we allow anything to keep us from Jesus' healing power?
“Come to the waters, all you who thirst: seek the Lord
while he may be found. Alleluia.” (Divine Office)
Thank you u Fr. Dara!
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