GOD’S WORD FOR THE DAY (based on Catholic Liturgical Readings)
DATE: 4TH DECEMBER 2016
SECOND SUNDAY OF ADVENT
1ST READING: Isaiah 11:1-10
PSALM: Psalm 72:1-2, 7-8, 12-13, 17
2ND READING: Romans 14:4-19
GOSPEL: Matthew 3:1-12
THEME: PREPARE THE WAY FOR THE LORD
There are moments in life when one hits rock bottom and hope fizzles into thin air. These are times when one longs for a saviour – someone who would rescue and bring restoration.
At a moment when everything appeared to be lost and the fortunes of David’s house were at their worst, the prophet Isaiah proclaimed a vision of hope to the people of Israel. The vision begins with a metaphor of new growth – “A shoot will spring from the stem of Jesse and a branch from his roots will bear fruit” (Isa 11:1). This metaphor points to the coming of a messiah from the royal stock. Isaiah proceeds to give the character of the messiah (cf. Isaiah 11:2), the nature of his rule (cf. Isaiah 11:3-5) and the universal harmony and peace which the messiah would bring (cf. Isaiah 11:6-9). In addition, he speaks of the gathering of all humankind (Isaiah 11:10).
The Gospel of Matthew picks up this theme of the coming messiah and presents to us a scene of John the Baptist preaching in the wilderness of Judea (cf. Mat 3:1). Refering to the Baptist, Matthew comments, “This is the one of whom the prophet Isaiah spoke when he said, ‘The voice of one crying out in the wilderness: ‘Prepare the way of the Lord, make his paths straight'” (Mat 3:3).
The core message in the preaching of John the Baptist was repentance – “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand” (Mat 3:2). The kind of repentance that John the Baptist envisaged was not one of mere ritual but one that had evidence to back it. Thus he tells the Pharisees and Sadducees, “Bring forth fruit in keeping with repentance” (Mat 3:8).
During this season of Advent, we are invited to celebrate repentance with tangible fruits to show. True repentance has both vertical and horizontal repercussions. It is evident in our relationship with God and our fellow human beings. With reference to God, a repentant person makes a choice to renounce a sinful lifestyle, spend quality time in prayer and put into practice the Word of God. With reference to fellow human beings, a repentant person seeks to live in peace with others and express genuine concern for the good of others.
As we prepare to celebrate the coming of Christ, may we re-examine our relationship with God and one another and where we fall short, may we embrace the call to repentance. It is in so doing that the grace that Christ brings would become effective in our lives.
Andrews Obeng, svd
DIVINE WORD MISSIONARIES
BIBLICAL PASTORAL MINISTRY
(Ghana Province)
“May the darkness of sin and the night of unbelief vanish before the light of the Word and the Spirit of grace. And may the heart of Jesus live in the hearts of all people” (St. Arnold Janssen).