Posted on 12/04/2022 10:08:00 AM PST by MurphsLaw
Today's Gospel reading for the Second Sunday of Advent
Inspires us to heed John the Baptist's simple, but revolutionary preaching to Repentance.
Every day we awaken to this ancient call to Christ, and the life everlasting available for us.
14 min YouTube link below:
Advent is best understood as a preparation for a revolution.
The liturgical readings for this time of the year—
focusing on Isaiah, John the Baptist, Mary, and Jesus—positively crackle with energy and electricity.
When we seek to understand them on their own terms
and in the context of the time in which they were written,
we discover their revolutionary power.
Around the year 30,
an alarming figure appeared in the Judean desert,
wearing animal skins and eating locusts and wild honey;
and his theme hearkened back to the prophet Isaiah:
“Prepare the way of the Lord, make straight his paths.”
John the Baptist was telling his listeners to make ready
for the arrival of the God of Israel as a conquering King who would,
once again, overthrow the oppressors of his people.
And the revolution arrived in the person of a young Galilean rabbi,
whose message was simple and unambiguous:
“Repent, for the kingdom of God is at hand.”
Jesus was saying that the new King has arrived and he’s begun his work;
so change your lives and come under his lordship.
The whole chapter is needed to understand the message:
1 In those days John the Baptist came preaching in the wilderness of Judea,
2 and saying, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand!”
3 For this is he who was spoken of by the prophet Isaiah, saying: “The voice of one crying in the wilderness: ‘Prepare the way of the Lord; Make His paths straight.’ “
4 And John himself was clothed in camel’s hair, with a leather belt around his waist; and his food was locusts and wild honey.
5 Then Jerusalem, all Judea, and all the region around the Jordan went out to him
6 and were baptized by him in the Jordan, confessing their sins.
7 But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees coming to his baptism, he said to them, “Brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the wrath to come?
8 Therefore bear fruits worthy of repentance,
9 and do not think to say to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham as our father.’ For I say to you that God is able to raise up children to Abraham from these stones.
10 And even now the ax is laid to the root of the trees. Therefore every tree which does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.
11 I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance, but He who is coming after me is mightier than I, whose sandals I am not worthy to carry. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire.
12 His winnowing fan is in His hand, and He will thoroughly clean out His threshing floor, and gather His wheat into the barn; but He will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire.”
13 Then Jesus came from Galilee to John at the Jordan to be baptized by him.
14 And John tried to prevent Him, saying, “I need to be baptized by You, and are You coming to me?”
15 But Jesus answered and said to him, “Permit it to be so now, for thus it is fitting for us to fulfill all righteousness.” Then he allowed Him.
16 When He had been baptized, Jesus came up immediately from the water; and behold, the heavens were opened to Him, and He saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and alighting upon Him.
17 And suddenly a voice came from heaven, saying, “This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.”
Tsk, tsk...
It wasn't Jesus who made that statement; it was St. John the Baptist.
Boobie is a babbling fool.
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