5 December 2021
Second Sunday of Advent
“The Lord has done great things for us; we are filled with joy.”
Today is the 2nd Sunday of Advent. Advent is commonly called that season of waiting. But it is really a season of shaking, of jolting, of awakening to the reality that we, as Christians, live lives in constant waiting and watchfulness for Christ’s return in glory.
Our Gospel today is about the historical jolting and awakening that preceded the birth of Jesus, through the ministry of John the Baptist. We need this same shaking today as we await the 2nd coming of the Lord. We need to awaken to the reality that we are waiting. We are waiting, not like in a doctor’s office, passively sitting until out time of moral examination is up at the end of our lives.
No! Christians spiritually wait like we are expecting a host for a holiday gathering. St. Paul prays that his community – and us – abounds in love and joy to be blameless “for the day of Christ filled with the fruit of righteousness.” Yes, awake to the reality that we are waiting, and considering this, we get to work preparing ourselves for the unknown time when our Lord and Savior will come to us. We eagerly prepare our lives, our hearts, our affairs, rearranging everything considering being jolted and shook into the reality of our waiting and our need to turn our hearts to the Lord in preparation of his arrival. We wait ‘making straight’ what is crooked in our lives with God’s help.
We wait with joy and with hope, for the Lord’s coming is not something to be feared but delighted in as Christians. “Jerusalem, take off your robe of mourning and misery; put on the splendor of glory from God forever.” For when our long-awaited guest comes, he will not come empty handed, but bring the garments of his glory and our salvation with which he will adorn us.
Come, Lord Jesus.