SUNDAY, SECOND WEEK OF ADVENT
Bar 5: 1-9 Ps 126: 1-6 Phil 1: 4-6, 8-11 Lk 3: 1-6
ECHOING JOY
The prophecy of Baruch emerged as a beacon of hope for the shattered people of Israel. Delivered in the aftermath of the devastating Babylonian invasion and the destruction of Jerusalem, it offered solace and a promise of restoration. The Israelites, exiled and dispersed, were plunged into a profound state of despair. Yet, amidst the ruins of their beloved city, a longing for renewal ignited within their hearts. Against this backdrop of sorrow and uncertainty, Baruch’s prophetic words brought a message of joy and divine intervention. He proclaimed that God would lead His people with compassion and grace, guiding them back to their homeland. This assurance reinforced the enduring nature of God’s promises and offered a glimmer of hope to a nation in mourning. By echoing the powerful imagery of earlier prophets, Baruch strengthened the people’s faith in God’s unwavering commitment.
God’s steadfast guidance illuminates our path as we navigate the journey of faith. This message of hope resonated deeply with a people who had lost all hope. The Psalmist echoes their sentiments of joy, expressing gratitude for answered prayers and dreams fulfilled. The responsorial psalm reflects on times of distress when prayers were fervently offered and God miraculously intervened, transforming despair into joy. Just as God extended His grace to the Israelites of old, so too does He offer us the same promise of joy and hope.
Saint Paul’s exhortation in the second reading tells us to discern what is of value in our lives so that we may be pure and blameless for the day of Jesus Christ. He talks of Christian joy which is a profound and enduring gift. Paul’s letters, particularly the Epistle to the Philippians, radiate with this joy. It is the joy of prayer, the joy of interceding for loved ones, and the joy of witnessing their spiritual growth. This joy is rooted in God’s promise of redemption and restoration. Saint Paul expresses immense joy in the faith and spiritual progress of the Philippians. In the gospel, we are told that God chose John the Baptist for a mission. He was to send His beloved Son into the world, and John was selected to be the person to prepare the way for Him. John’s mission was to boldly proclaim the coming of the Lord to everyone he encountered. Everyone needed to be ready to hear the Good News from the Messiah.
Like St. John the Baptist, God has a mission for us. Right here and right now. We are living in a time and place where there is at least one person ready to encounter Jesus. We do not have to go out to the desert or wear strange clothes. But we do need to be bold and courageous. We might need to say “no” when someone asks us to do something we should not. Or we might be inspired to invite one of our friends to join us at Mass. There are opportunities in our lives to help those around us see and experience Jesus. That is the least and best we can do this Advent. Furthermore, we should get rid of the mountains and hills that we have built as obstacles to our spiritual life. For God to work in us, every obstacle must be removed: obstacles of pride, arrogance, cheating, adultery, unforgiveness, selfishness, etc. Only then can we experience the joy of the Lord.
We have a choice to make: Our lives are to be filled with joy; yet, we see less and less joy in the world today. Why is it so? Because we allow people and things to take it away from us. We have all had things done or said by others that have hurt us and have affected our joy. But we should realise that life is what we make of it and how we choose to live even in difficult situations or with difficult people. We can allow the situation or circumstance to take our joy away, or we can be courageous enough to move on despite our difficult situations wholly dependent on the faithful love of the Lord. We should learn from Paul to keep a joyful attitude amid house arrest. Today, the second Sunday of Advent calls us to prepare our hearts for the coming of Christ by filling them with Christian joy.
Response: What great deeds the Lord worked for us! Indeed, we were glad.
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