{"id":1973,"date":"2016-12-04T12:46:26","date_gmt":"2016-12-04T17:46:26","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blog.renewaloffaith.org\/blog\/?p=1973"},"modified":"2016-12-17T08:54:38","modified_gmt":"2016-12-17T13:54:38","slug":"2nd-sunday-of-advent-year-a-homily","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blog.renewaloffaith.org\/blog\/2nd-sunday-of-advent-year-a-homily\/","title":{"rendered":"2nd Sunday of Advent, Year A – Homily"},"content":{"rendered":"

2nd<\/sup> Sunday in Advent, Year A<\/a>
\nIsaiah 11:1-10
\nPsalm 72:1-2, 7-8, 12-13, 17
\nRomans 15:4-9
\nMatthew 3:1-12
\nDecember 4, 2016<\/p>\n

Christmas is now just three weeks away.\u00a0 So, our gospel readings shift from the Second Coming to the time just before<\/em> the birth of Jesus.\u00a0 That puts us right at the peak of the ministry of John the Baptist.<\/p>\n

John the Baptist came as a prophet (symbolized by the clothing made of camel\u2019s hair and the leather belt he wore).\u00a0 He came with a very specific message, \u201crepent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand<\/em>.\u201d\u00a0 He knew that Jesus who is mightier than he, was about to come.\u00a0 He knew the people were not ready and so he sought to lead them to repentance to help them be ready.<\/p>\n

With Christmas coming, how much are you doing to get ready for your Christmas celebrations?<\/p>\n

Do you have shopping to do?\u00a0 Have you even started?<\/p>\n

Do you have decorating to do?\u00a0 In our church, our nativity scene is up outside but we wait for Christmas itself to decorate inside.\u00a0 When we you do your decorating?<\/p>\n

How about the food?\u00a0 How much thought have you given to the food that you will cook?<\/p>\n

In order to prepare properly, we need to think about what it is we seek.\u00a0 So think about what the perfect Christmas would look like.<\/p>\n

For me, it is simple.\u00a0 I just want a beautiful Christmas Mass in church.\u00a0 No gifts and not a lot of parties.\u00a0 There is nothing wrong with gifts and parties.\u00a0 I just know that where I experience the really meaning of Christmas is being at church (which is a good thing because I will spend a lot of time in church for Christmas.<\/p>\n

Gifts are good but I have everything I need or want.\u00a0 If you want to give me a gift, give something to charity (I suggest the CMA). \u00a0I like quiet so I\u2019m not a party person.<\/p>\n

What helps you remember what the real meaning of Christmas is?<\/p>\n

Christmas is all about the coming of Jesus.\u00a0 However, Jesus did not simply come once and forgot us?\u00a0 Jesus will come again at the End.\u00a0 But we don\u2019t have to wait till the End.\u00a0 Jesus wants to be part of our lives every day.<\/p>\n

Many of the Pharisees and Sadducees were coming to John the Baptist to be baptized for the repentance of sins.\u00a0 John tells them it is not enough to claim Abraham as their ancestor.\u00a0 John baptizes only with water for the forgiveness of sins.\u00a0 He knows that Jesus will come mightier than he and that Jesus\u2019 baptism will include the Holy Spirit and fire.<\/p>\n

Jesus comes to change our lives through the Holy Spirit who gives us the gifts of knowledge, wisdom, understanding, strength, counsel, and fear of the Lord.<\/p>\n

Jesus comes to set us on fire with faith.\u00a0 So getting ready for Jesus coming into our lives means getting ready for something different than what we are used to.<\/p>\n

Our psalm says \u201cJustice shall flourish in his time, and fullness of peace forever<\/em>.\u201d\u00a0 Are we ready for justice?\u00a0 Justice is not defined by what we want.\u00a0 Justice means the world is as God calls it to be.<\/p>\n

Are you ready to embrace peace?\u00a0 This doesn\u2019t just mean no more war.\u00a0 It isn\u2019t just an end to violence such as terrorism.\u00a0 Peace means letting go of what has hurt us.\u00a0 Peace means forgiving those who have wronged us.\u00a0 Peace means loving others.\u00a0 Peace means letting go of material things and focusing on compassion and mercy.\u00a0 When we do this we let Jesus come into our hearts.<\/p>\n

To live with Jesus we might need to change our perspective on life.\u00a0 For instance, when you meet somebody, what is the first thing you notice?\u00a0 How much do you rely on their appearance?\u00a0 Jesus doesn\u2019t focus on their external appearance.\u00a0 How much do you go by \u201chearsay\u201d about the person?\u00a0 Jesus looks into their hearts.<\/p>\n

Long before Jesus came, the Prophet Isaiah was already speaking about how we need to change our perspective.\u00a0 We live thinking the wolf and the lamb, the leopard and the kid, the calf and the young lion, must all be enemies but Isaiah says that will change.<\/p>\n

So I invite you to ask yourselves:<\/p>\n