Daily Retreat 12/07/08
2008 Dec 7 SUN: SECOND SUNDAY OF ADVENT
Is 40:1-5.9-11/Ps 84(85)/2 Pt 3:8-14/Mk 1:1-8
From today’s readings: “Every valley shall be filled in, every mountain and hill shall be made low; the rugged land shall be made a plain, the rough country, a broad valley.... Justice shall walk before Him, and prepare the way of His steps....Therefore, beloved, since you await these things, be eager to be found without spot or blemish before Him, at peace.... John the Baptist appeared in the desert proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins.”
John the Baptist
The scripture readings of this second Sunday of Advent introduce us to John the Baptist. Of course, this “introduction” can seem redundant because, from previous years’ readings, we’re already familiar with him as the cousin of Christ, as the one who baptized our Lord and then was imprisoned and martyred by King Herod. But, perhaps a re-introduction is in order: although John, by his own admission is “second fiddle” to Jesus, since Jesus Himself had great things to say about the son of Zechariah (cf. Matthew 11:11), we can benefit from a closer look at this man and his mission.
First of all, the Baptist’s vocation was essential in the divine plan and not in any way superfluous. While almighty God did not strictly need some lackey to formally introduce His Son on the world stage, in His wisdom, God did ordain that John’s life would be intrinsically linked with the life of Jesus. This was even foretold - as the evangelists point out, John the Baptist came as the fulfillment of the prophecy of Isaiah: “A voice of one crying out in the desert: ‘Prepare the way of the Lord, make straight His paths!’ ” Note that in the first reading, Isaiah insists that every valley shall be filled and every mountain and hill shall be made low - in others words, all obstacles must be removed - the Messiah must have a straight, unhindered path.
Now for my point: your vocation and my vocation are also essential in the divine plan and not in any way superfluous! It’s tempting to convince ourselves that almighty God can get along fine without the ardent evangelical witness of our little lives, but in His wisdom, God has ordained that your life and my life could also be incorporated into the life of Christ. In our daily lives, God looks to you and to me to echo the Baptist’s cry in this time and place, and to pick up and continue his unfinished mission of filling in the valleys of doubt and eroding the mountains of pride - of removing all obstacles (in ourselves and others!) to the good news of the coming of the One who baptizes with the Holy Spirit!
Is 40:1-5.9-11/Ps 84(85)/2 Pt 3:8-14/Mk 1:1-8
From today’s readings: “Every valley shall be filled in, every mountain and hill shall be made low; the rugged land shall be made a plain, the rough country, a broad valley.... Justice shall walk before Him, and prepare the way of His steps....Therefore, beloved, since you await these things, be eager to be found without spot or blemish before Him, at peace.... John the Baptist appeared in the desert proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins.”
John the Baptist
The scripture readings of this second Sunday of Advent introduce us to John the Baptist. Of course, this “introduction” can seem redundant because, from previous years’ readings, we’re already familiar with him as the cousin of Christ, as the one who baptized our Lord and then was imprisoned and martyred by King Herod. But, perhaps a re-introduction is in order: although John, by his own admission is “second fiddle” to Jesus, since Jesus Himself had great things to say about the son of Zechariah (cf. Matthew 11:11), we can benefit from a closer look at this man and his mission.
First of all, the Baptist’s vocation was essential in the divine plan and not in any way superfluous. While almighty God did not strictly need some lackey to formally introduce His Son on the world stage, in His wisdom, God did ordain that John’s life would be intrinsically linked with the life of Jesus. This was even foretold - as the evangelists point out, John the Baptist came as the fulfillment of the prophecy of Isaiah: “A voice of one crying out in the desert: ‘Prepare the way of the Lord, make straight His paths!’ ” Note that in the first reading, Isaiah insists that every valley shall be filled and every mountain and hill shall be made low - in others words, all obstacles must be removed - the Messiah must have a straight, unhindered path.
Now for my point: your vocation and my vocation are also essential in the divine plan and not in any way superfluous! It’s tempting to convince ourselves that almighty God can get along fine without the ardent evangelical witness of our little lives, but in His wisdom, God has ordained that your life and my life could also be incorporated into the life of Christ. In our daily lives, God looks to you and to me to echo the Baptist’s cry in this time and place, and to pick up and continue his unfinished mission of filling in the valleys of doubt and eroding the mountains of pride - of removing all obstacles (in ourselves and others!) to the good news of the coming of the One who baptizes with the Holy Spirit!
posted by FrPitstick | 12/05/2008
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