2nd Week of Advent – December 5th 2010 – We are called to be hopeful in hopeless situations! A priest walked into a barber shop in Washington, D.C. After he got his haircut, he asked how much it would be. The barber said, "No charge. I consider it a service to the Lord."
The next morning, the barber came to work and there were 12 rosaries and a thank you note from the priest in front of the door.
Later that day, a police officer came in and got his hair cut. He then asked how much it was. The barber said, "No charge. I consider it a service to the community."
The next morning, he came to work and there were a dozen donuts and a thank you note from the police officer.
Then, a Senator came in and got a haircut. When he was done he asked how much it was. The barber said, "No charge. I consider it a service to the country."
The next morning, the barber came to work and there were 12 Senators in front of the door for a free haircut. Very smart and selfish senators! This story raises two questions. What are we and where are we?
Despite the holiday mood, most people I have had conversations with seem to be a little grim about the state of affairs. The facts are the same: housing loan crisis, high gas prices, signs of recession in the economy, the rise of conflicts, climate change, global warming, unemployment, nuclear proliferation, the threat of terrorism, the falling dollar, the sky-rocketing cost of health care, the widening gap between the rich and the poor. The list seems unending. Surprisingly, the stock market seems to be doing rather well in spite of it all, which in one sense makes people wonder what is really going on. I am by no means a pessimist nor do I court doomsday, but there is a hint of a crisis-situation in the world today. But the most frightening part of this scenario that no one, not one nation has a viable, sound solution to these problem. The leaders of the world cannot even agree on a strategy to address the problem that encounters all of humanity. I want to offer a theological reflection on the state of the world and some direction that today readings offer to us both for the world and for us personally. The readings offer hope in our hopeless situations!
The context within which today’s first reading was written was not any different from today. Isaiah’s prophecy in today’s first reading comes in the context of an impending crisis. He prophesied during the reign of king Ahaz. He was a bad king because he did not trust god’s promise of protection to the people of Israel. The Assyrians were becoming stronger in the Middle East while both the Jewish kingdoms Israel and Judah were getting weaker as they blatantly violated their Covenant with Yahweh. Isaiah refers to the Israel as an “impious nation” (Is 10:6), and warns Judah that unless she made some radical changes in her society she would be destroyed as well. But God also offers a hope filled promise. A messiah-like figure filled with wisdom, and understanding, counsel and strength, knowledge and fear of the Lord would appear. He would bring about justice and faithfulness and restore the people of the “impious nation.” Christians identify this messiah-like figure to be Jesus.
This brings us to the gospel reading. John the Baptist began his ministry by proclaiming exactly what he was sent for: to “Prepare the way of the Lord” (Mt 3:2). However, his solution for the restoration of the nation rested on two things: a) making straight the path for Christ; and b) producing good fruit as evidence of your repentance. In other words, the restoration of Israel would be the result of Israel resisting the temptation to walk in its own ways (repentance) and looking to the way of Jesus (prepare the way of the Lord).
Let me offer three practical implications of today’s readings.
1. We are called to walk in the ways of God – justice and faithfulness. We began this homily by pointing to the world in the verge of a crisis. If today’s readings are telling us anything it is this – that if the world must sustain itself, it must be based on the sound principles of justice and faithfulness. The present situation stems from the basic lack of justice in our dealings with each other and the tendency of human being to prepare not a way for the Lord but for profit, easy money, quest for power. In other words, human beings are preparing the way not of the Lord but for themselves. A safe and happy world is not magic; it will only be the result of walking in the ways of God – justice and faithfulness. It is only then that:
“The wolf shall be a guest of the lamb,
and the leopard shall lie down with the kid;
the calf and the young lion shall browse together,
with a little child to guide them.
The cow and the bear shall be neighbors,
together their young shall rest;
the lion shall eat hay like the ox.
The baby shall play by the cobra’s den,
and the child lay his hand on the adder’s lair.
There shall be no harm or ruin on all my holy mountain.” (Is 11:3-9)
2. Today’s readings offer a personal promise and a challenge – the promise is Jesus; the challenge is repentance. Our lives can mirror what is happening in the world today. So many individual lives could find happiness, contentment, and peace if only we would pause during this season and took time to prepare the way for Jesus. The invitation of John the Baptist to “Prepare the way of the Lord,” is a personal invitation to each person here today. Surely, each one of us can look at our lives and find areas where we can bring Jesus in. Let our preparation for Christmas not be a time to prepare a way for our own selves, but rather, a time to prepare the way for Jesus. It is only by the wisdom and understanding, counsel and strength, knowledge and fear of the Lord that Jesus offers to us that we can save ourselves from destruction.
3. We are called to produce good fruits! John the Baptist calls the Pharisees brood of vipers and tells them produce good fruits as evidence of their repentance! There is a simple, direct message. “Therefore every tree that does not bear good fruit will be cut down and thrown into the fire” - (Mt 3:10). We have two more weeks left for before Christmas. Let us isolate those acts that bear bad fruit (repent) and let us prepare the way for Jesus (thus producing good fruit).
This Eucharist is yet another opportunity to keep our eyes focused on Jesus as we prepare for Christmas. Let us “prepare the way” for him as he come to us in the Eucharist. Amen.
