Second Sunday of Advent

V/​ I will turn to you O God, 

R/​ to God who gives joy to my youth

V/​ Give me the Wisdom that sits by your throne; 

R/ that I may be counted among your children

Lord, in your all-providential plan, you have led me to this moment to rediscover me in your Word and Wisdom. Aid me to make this time of meditation and prayer enriching, transforming, and liberating for my well-being and others. Amen!

SECOND SUNDAY OF ADVENT REFLECTION

Zeph 3:14-18; Is 12:2-6; Phil 4:4-7; Lk 3:10-18

The Gospel for the second Sunday of Advent, (Luke,.3,1-6) presents the historical context into which Jesus begins his public life and introduces the person of John the Baptist as the Precursor of the Messiah. So, from the outset Luke is impressing upon his listeners and us   that the life and mission of Jesus are within history and transform history. Therefore, we are given to understand that John’s mission comes from the Word of God and his mission is to proclaim this Word who is to come. Like all the great prophets, he is commissioned by God and is moved by the Holy Spirit. It is on this historical and spiritual truth that we are also called to listen to the word of God in our lives and to be guided and led by the Holy Spirit. The mission includes the call to ‘prepare a way for the Lord and make his paths straight.’(Lk.3,4) We can go into the wilderness in many ways during this Advent time.  To seek a place of quiet and solitude to listen to the inner voice of God within us, allows us to touch deeply into the reality of God coming anew to us. St Teresa of Avila reminds us that God in not far away from us. He is in us in the great beauty of our souls. ‘There is no need to go to heaven in order to speak to one’s Eternal Father for find delight in Him. All one need do is go into solitude and look at Him within oneself.’ (Way of Perfection Ch.28,2)

With a Carmelite spirit, we value the wilderness, the mountain, the places of solitude because they are places of love, places of encounter with God. The season of Advent evokes this ancestral call of the hermits on Mount Carmel to put aside all things and to allow ourselves to be in communion with the mystery of the Incarnation. The Romances of St John of the Cross catch this intimacy between the Father and the Son at creation and throughout the history of salvation. He presents the Incarnation as a gift of love by the father, in which he gives creation and humanity to the Son as a bride. ‘And the Word was made flesh and dwelt amongst us.’ (Jn.1,14.)  Let us likewise be led by the Word of God over these days in the deepest simplicity of all we do and think and speak. 

The Old Testament reading is from the prophet Baruch (5,1-9) The opening sentence in this first reading, has a pathos that speaks to much of the distress that we see across the world today. The image of clothing applied to the glory and integrity of God makes the reality of this invitation more accessible in our prayer.

St. Paul in the second reading speaks affectionately to the Philippians (1,4) ‘Every time I pray for you, I pray with joy…  St. Teresa of Avila identifies this love for one another as a living witness and proof of our love for God and she insists that in our families and communities, ‘All must be loved, all must be held dear, all must be helped.’ (WP 4,7)

Just as the Word of God is the source of John’s mission and life so the Word of God is the sustenance and source of our mission in life and the source of our recovery from sin and distress and all that holds us back from the fullness of life.

May the blessing of the Word of God for this first week of Advent dispose us to ‘pray with joy’ for each other and for all humanity. May this joy be the characteristic of the Holy Spirit’s presence in us that fill our minds and hearts over these days. Let us assure each other that when we pray we will pray with joy.