Many of us while in school had the opportunity to study history. Like all subjects, some may have liked it while others would have disliked it. Nevertheless, we all had to study some history, for better or for worse. I recall a time I would ask myself what is the point of remembering dates, times, and events of the past and how is this going to help me in the future, unless I was going to become a professor of history? Only much later did I realise that history is not only the knowledge of and study of the past, but it is the story of the past and a form of collective memory that defines who we are, where we come from, and can potentially reveal where we are headed.
In the Gospel of Luke, apart from presenting Jesus as both human and divine, the author also presents a historical Jesus. That is why Luke in the Gospel today painstakingly situates the preaching of John the Baptist and the baptism of Jesus, giving a time and place as we are told of the Emperor, the Governor, the rulers of Palestine and the High Priests.
Having situated the period in which Jesus was going to begin His ministry, Luke explains the phenomenon of John the Baptist and his long preaching through a long quotation from the prophet Isaiah. Since Isaiah was revered as a great prophet of the Old Testament, ascribing these words to John the Baptist gives him and later Jesus Christ the authority of continuity from the Old Testament.
The introduction of John the Baptist on the second week of Advent is purposeful as he is often known as “the preacher of Advent”. His message is clear – just as he prepared the people of Israel for the coming of the Messiah, he reminds us today on the need for “preparedness” as we approach Christmas. The “preparedness” that we are called to is not just the external frills that Christmas brings but the “preparedness” of our inner home – the inner sanctuary where God resides in us.
The purpose we hear of John the Baptist’s preaching on repentance on this Second Sunday of Advent is to inspire in us a transformation that results in a change of heart. For us, Advent must be a time when we yearn for such transformation in our lives so that the “arrival” of the Lord finds a worthy home in us. Without repentance there is no salvation because each of us must strive to prepare ourselves for the coming of the Lord – to ask forgiveness and to live in accordance to the Lord.
Advent calls us to turn to the Lord in the expectant hope of the coming of His kingdom. Until that time Advent calls us to deepen our spirit of prayer, reflect more deeply on who this historical Jesus is, what he said, how he lived, so that we will truly be prepared to celebrate the nativity of the Lord.
Just as much as studying history is about understanding the past, present and future, Advent prepares us to reflect on the promises for the future, made in the past, but to bear fruit in the present. The fruit of love that we are called to bear will only bring about the fullness of God’s reign. Therefore, we must reflect with our eyes of faith and live with hope because we are preparing not only for Christmas but also for Christ’s Second Coming. This means that when He comes again, He must find us awake and watchful and not find us asleep.
2nd Sunday of Advent (5 Dec 2021)
