The first two weeks of Advent are a curious time. We want to be preparing for the birth of Jesus, but our Sunday readings focus primarily on the parousia, Jesus’ second coming into the world. In either case, we need to prepare for the revelation of God in Jesus. How? Through reconciliation and transformation!
Addressing the people of Israel in exile, the prophet Baruch exhorts them to change their (metaphorical) clothes from head to foot: take off your robe of mourning and misery; put on the splendor of glory from God forever! The prophet is inviting the people to reconciliation and transformation, with the promise that, if they align themselves with the Lord, God will show all the earth their splendor and lead Israel in joy, back not only to their land, but to right relationship by means of his mercy and justice. They will then be able to sing Psalm 126: The Lord has done great things for us; we are filled with joy!
Another prophet, John the Baptist, bursts onto the scene in Luke’s Gospel, proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins for all people. John, like Baruch, comes to prepare the way of the Lord. But is it Jesus’ route to us via the Incarnation, or is it our route back to him? Both/and, it seems! God is certainly bringing us salvation in the gift of his Son Jesus, but it is up to us to participate, making low every mountain and hill that stand in the way of our relationship with him. Preparation is necessary!
To prepare, we must, as Paul tells the Philippians, continue to grow in faith and allow the Lord to work in us, for the one who began a good work in you will continue to complete it. Living together in Christ, our relationships will bear fruit, and our love will increase ever more and more. By allowing God to transform our hearts through reconciliation and mercy, by opening them to let God work in us, we prepare for the coming of the Lord with joy, both at Christmas and at the second coming, pure and blameless for the day of Christ, because God makes us new again, and restores us to himself!
This post is based on OLMC’s Scripture class.
Image source: www.wordclouds.com
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