by: Fr. Mike Dupo, CJM
Advent is the season which is in the mode of preparation. We have been preparing for the Second Coming of Christ. When will He come? We do not know. No one knows not even the great thinkers of this world. Now our church is helping us to reflect on how to prepare ourselves for this great event in our lives. While waiting for his coming again let us wait for him with joy and hope.
The readings for this second Sunday of advent will lead us to reflect on how we could welcome our Lord in our midst with joyful and hopeful anticipation. Going back to our first reading six hundred years ago before the birth of Christ prophet Baruch compares Jerusalem as a widow weeping over her children who had been taken away into Babylonian exile. She had lost her hope that her children would return again to their homeland for they were good as dead. But all of a sudden Baruch changes his tone of language and invites her to stop mourning for the God of glory and justice will bring back her children from exile. The encouraging words of Prophet Baruch are the same words that we need to take into consideration. Let us rejoice and never lose our hope because our salvation would come soon.
In the second reading Paul assures the Christians in Philippi of his prayer. He urges them to persevere and strive in their life to be pure and blameless; filled with the fruit of righteousness of Jesus Christ until He comes again. Here we could sense other ways of hoping and rejoicing in the words of Paul while he keeps on reminding the community. Both the first and second reading affirms to us that there is God who is in control of everything. His salvation would surely come to each one of us. As the responsorial says “The Lord has done great things for us; we are filled with joy.” But we need to make efforts to prepare ourselves before our salvation comes.
Jesus Christ is the only way for our salvation whom God has given to us as a free gift. In our gospel this Sunday John the Baptist quoted the words of prophet Isaiah “Prepare the way of the Lord, make straight his paths. Every valley shall be filled and every mountain and hill shall be made low. The winding roads shall be made straight, and the rough ways made smooth and all flesh shall see the salvation of God.”
Let us examine what is within in our hearts maybe there are valleys that needs to be filled with perseverance, trust, love, faith, hope, humility, temperance and many other Christian virtues. There are mountains and hills of pride, selfishness, hatred, greediness, jealousy, callousness, and indifference that we need to level and made low. Let us not walk in the winding roads and rough ways of different vices and take the straight path towards God. While we have still time before our Savior would come let us do it immediately. Let us pray for one another and do together prepare for the coming of Jesus Christ.
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