Christmas - Homily - 2011

Christmas Homily :                                                                                               Joke 1) It was Christmas Eve in a supermarket and a woman was anxiously picking over the last few remaining turkeys in the hope of finding a large one. In desperation she called over a shop assistant and said "Excuse me. Do these turkeys get any bigger?" "No" he replied, "They're all dead".

Anecdote: 1) When Pope Julius I authorized December 25 to be celebrated as the birthday of Jesus in A.D. 353, who would have ever thought that it would become what it is today? In 1223 when St. Francis of Assisi used a nearby cave and set up a manger filled with straw and his friend, Vellita, brought in an ox and a donkey, as in the Bethlehem original, nobody imagined how that novel idea was going to evolve through centuries. When Professor Charles Follen lit candles on the first Christmas tree in America in 1832, who would have ever thought that the decorations would become as elaborate as they are today? There is an unproved legend that Martin Luther is responsible for the first Christmas tree. This story says that one Christmas Eve, about the year 1500, he was walking through the snow-covered woods and was struck by the beauty of the trees in the snow. Their branches, dusted with snow, shimmered in the moonlight. When he got home, he set up a small fir tree and shared the story with his children. He decorated the Christmas tree with small candles, which he lighted in honor of Christ's birth. For us, each yearly approach of December 25 gives us one more opportunity to pause, and in the midst of all the commercialized excitement, elaborate decorations and expensive gifts which mark Christmas in our day, to consider again the event of Christmas and the Person Whose birth we celebrate.

Joke 2) ) Mark Twain refers to it in one of his books. He recalls a visit to the Holy Land and a stay in Capernaum. It was a moonlit night, so he decided to take his wife on a romantic boat ride on the Sea of Galilee. Twain asked a man in a rowboat how much he would charge to take them out on the water. The man saw Twain's white suit, white shoes and white hat and supposed he was a rich Texan. So he said the cost would be twenty-five dollars. Twain walked away as he said, "Now I know why Jesus walked."

Event 1) A certain missionary was working in a rural African village that had no easy access to good drinking water. People walked for miles to the nearest river to get water. With his encouragement the people undertook a self-help project to sink a borehole. The local government supplemented the people's efforts and a borehole was sunk in the village. In the meantime the missionary had left the village. Soon the village was enjoying fresh and clean drinking water from the borehole. So they wrote the missionary to come and see them and the great difference the borehole had made in the village. He went back to the village and rejoiced with them for the borehole that now gave fresh, clean water on demand. Then he decided to go round and visit some of his old friends. He entered the house of an old woman and asked her to give me a cup of the borehole water to drink. To his surprise she said that there was no drinking water in the house. "But the village now has water," he said. "Yes," she replied, "but the trouble is with my grandson who lives with me. I tell him to go and get water from the borehole and he wouldn't listen to me. All he does is run about and play."

There you are! You see, it is possible for someone to die of thirst in a village that has abundant drinking water. Why? Because there is no way the water out there in the borehole can become your own personally until you lift your foot to go there and draw the water that already belongs to you. The water in the borehole is yours by right. You are entitled to it. But you need to do something to claim this right before it can become your own personally, before it can actually quench your thirst. So is the good news of great joy that God showers on the world at Christmas. We still need to do something, make a little effort, before we can personally experience this joy in our lives, in our families, and in our world.

How do we do that? Well, that is rather easy to explain but pretty hard to practice, so I'll explain. Look at the word JOY. You see that it is made up of three letters: first J, then O, and lastly Y. J stands for Jesus, O for Others, and Y for You. Joy therefore is: Jesus, Others, before You. To know joy in our lives we need to place Jesus first in everything. Secondly, we need to try to please others before trying to please yourself. That is the recipe for joy. That is how we can convert the Christmas "joy to the world" into a personal "joy in my life" now and always.

As we listen to the Christmas story we would do well to pay attention to the various people and groups of people that are mentioned and see whether they try to please Jesus and others before themselves, or whether they seek their own interests first. You will discover that those who practice J-O-Y are the ones who enjoy peace and joy, and that those who practice "self first" are always the unhappy and miserable ones. Here are a few examples.

Joke 3) A friend was in front of me coming out of church one day, and the preacher was standing at the door as he always is to shake hands. He noticed a young man who showed up in the church for Christmas and Easter as Poinsettias & Easter Lilies do.  He grabbed my friend by the hand and pulled him aside. Pastor said, "You need to join the Army of the Lord!" My friend said, "I'm already in the Army of the Lord, Pastor." Pastor questioned, "How come I don't see you except at Christmas and Easter?" He whispered back, "I'm in the Secret Service."

On the negative side we have the innkeeper who turned Joseph and Mary out in the cold night while he enjoyed the warmth of the inn. There's also Herod who wanted above all his job security as king to the point that he was prepared to kill Jesus and others. These people never get to experience the joy of the good news. On the positive side, consider the shepherds who leave everything they own, their flock, in the bush and go to adore Jesus first. Or the magi, the wise men from the East who leave the security of their homeland and make a long and dangerous journey to Bethlehem just to worship the new-born Jesus and give him gifts. These are the one's who receive God's favour, the ones who experience in their hearts the true peace and joy of Christmas. Let us today resolve to follow their good example by always placing Jesus and others before self and then the joy of Christmas will always be ours.

IV Sunday-Advent:[B]:IISam7:1-5,8-12,14-16;Rom16:25-27;Lk1:26-38

IV Sunday-Advent:[B]:IISam7:1-5,8-12,14-16;Rom16:25-27;Lk1:26-38

Introduction: "Hail, full of grace, the Lord is with thee." (Lk 1:28) For nearly two millennia Catholics, and other Christians, have committed to memory these words of the angel Gabriel, "Ave Maria, gratia plena", as they pore devotedly over the sacred scriptures. The angelic salutation, now incorporated into the prayer of the Hail Mary, is sent up to heaven millions of times each day from every corner of the globe. Our frequent repetition of these words makes a sense of awe for the fantastic event which they announced: the incarnation of God.  Today is the 4th and the last Sunday of Advent before Christmas and we are in the immediate preparations for Christmas. 

Exegesis: The Scripture Readings of today speak about the preparations that God made for his Son to be born among us and as one of us. In the First Reading from the 2^nd Book of Samuel, King David wishes to build a house for God better than his own. He seeks some way to give thanks to God for all the blessing he received from him. But God has not finished filling his life with blessings. In the Second Reading from his Letter to the Romans, St. Paul speaks about the mystery of salvation about to be revealed and marvels at the divine plan and gives glory to God. In the Gospel Reading from St. Luke, we have the familiar passage of the Annunciation where the Angel Gabriel tells Mary that she has found favor with God and announces the divine identity of the child whom Mary is about to conceive through the power of the Holy Spirit.

Event: There is a Persian legend.  A certain king needed a faithful servant, and two men were candidates for the office. He took both at fixed wages, and his first order was to fill a basket with water from a neighboring well.  And the King said that he would come in the evening and see their work. After putting in one or two bucketfuls, one man said, “What is the good of doing this useless work? As soon as we put the water in one side it runs out the other.” The other answered, “But we have our wages, haven't we? The use is the master's business, not ours.” “I am not going to do such fool's work,” replied the other. Throwing down his bucket, he went away. The other man continued until he had exhausted. Looking down to the well he saw something shining—a diamond ring. “Now I see the use of pouring water into a basket,” he cried. “If the bucket had brought up the ring before the well was emptied, it would have been found in the basket. Our work was not useless.” Christians must believe that their divine Master knows what is best, and obey his commands, and in due time they will know and understand.

Practical Applications: We need to say a courageous and generous “Yes” to God as Mary did.  True obedience comes from a free choice made in the light of what is true and good. It often requires a great deal of courage, because it can involve going against the tide of social expectations. True obedience also aims at putting oneself at the service of something/Someone that is greater than oneself by accepting what God clearly wants us to do or what He wants to do through us. Jesus' own moment of greatness, like his Mother’s, came when he said “Yes,” to his Father, and Jesus' own obedience is our model. Will we surrender to God and allow God to do what, from our human point of view, seems impossible?  Will we surrender our agenda, our will and our kingdom to God and allow God’s agenda, will and Kingdom become a reality for and through us?  It is by saying, with Jesus and Mary, a  wholehearted  and  totally  unconditional  “Yes,”  to  God  that Jesus will be re-born in me or maybe even born in me for the first time. By my saying “yes,” Jesus will be born or reborn in others too.

Fourth Sunday in Advent: Introduction

Message: David’s posterity shall endure forever.  His kingship finds its fulfillment in the son of Mary, Jesus the Christ.  To him be glory and praise forever.

Saints and Events in this Week: 23 – Twenty Third – Tuesday – Saint John of Kanty, Priest; 24 – Twenty Fourth – Wednesday - Vigil of the Nativity of the Lord; 25 – Twenty Fifth – Thursday – The nativity of the Lord – Christmas – Holy day of obligation; 26 – Twenty Sixth – Friday – Saint Stephen, the first martyr; 27 – Twenty Seventh – Saturday – Saint John, Apostle, Evangelist;

Fourth Sunday: 2 Sam 7: 1-5,8-12,14,16, Romans 16: 25-27, Luke 1: 26-38

Fourth Sunday: 2 Sam 7: 1-5,8-12,14,16, Romans 16: 25-27, Luke 1: 26-38 - Mothers of Christ

Some nursery school kids were preparing a Christmas play. Little Cynthia did not like the part she was assigned to play. She wanted to change parts with her friend Monica. When the teacher asked her why, she answered, "Because it is easier to be an angel than to be the mother of Christ." The little girl is certainly right. To be the mother of Christ is no light matter. Yet difficult as it sounds, that is exactly what we are all called to be. In fact, we could say that even though Jesus was born in Bethlehem, his real desire is to be born in the hearts of believers, to be re-produced by believers.

Mother of Christ is a title we usually reserve for Mary. But Mary is mother of Christ in two senses. She is mother of Christ in the physical sense that she carried Jesus in her womb and gave birth to him. This is an unrepeatable event and an honour that no other human being could share with her. But she is also mother of Christ in a spiritual sense. In a spiritual sense the role of being mother of Christ is available to all Christians. We all, men, women and children, can and should become mothers of Christ. The idea of Christians called to be mothers of Christ is very common among Christian mystics. The Dominican priest mystic, Meister Eckhart, said that God made the human soul for her to bear the divine Son, and that when this birth happens it gives God greater pleasure than the creation of heaven and earth.

What is this spiritual motherhood of Christ and how does it happen? For the answer we need to go right back to Jesus himself.

Then his mother and his brothers came; and standing outside, they sent to him and called him. 32 A crowd was sitting around him; and they said to him, "Your mother and your brothers and sisters are outside, asking for you." 33 And he replied, "Who are my mother and my brothers?" 34 And looking at those who sat around him, he said, "Here are my mother and my brothers! 35 Whoever does the will of God is my brother and sister and mother." (Mark 3:31-35)

This shows that (a) Jesus expects his followers to be not only his brothers and sisters but his mothers as well, and (b) the way to be the mother of Jesus is by doing the will of God. Spiritual motherhood of Christ is attained by saying yes to God, even when God appears to demand from us what is humanly impossible, like asking Mary to be a virgin mother. To become mothers of Christ we need to make the prayer of Mary our own: "Here am I, the servant of the Lord; let it be with me according to your word" (Luke 1:38).

This prayer of Mary has been know as the world's greatest prayer. It is the prayer that brought God down from heaven to dwell in the soul and body of a lowly young woman. It is the prayer that brought about the greatest event in human history, God becoming human in Jesus. It is a prayer that changed forever the course of human history some 2000 years ago. This prayer is so very different from what has been called the world's most common prayer, the prayer in which we try to get God to do our will. The world's most common prayer says, "My will be done," whereas the world greatest prayer says, "Thy will be done."

Yes, little Cynthia was right. It is not easy to be the mother of Christ. But in today's gospel Mary shows us how. It is in hearing God's word and saying yes to God even when God's will seems to go against all our plans and hopes for the future. As Christmas draws near, Mary reminds us that the best Christmas, in fact the only true Christmas, is that Christ be born not in the little town of Bethlehem but in the inner sanctuary of our hearts.

III Sunday of Advent: Is 61: 1-2, 10-11; 1 Thes 5: 16-24; Jn 1: 6-8, 19-28

III Sunday -Advent: Is 61: 1-2, 10-11; 1 Thes 5: 16-24; Jn 1: 6-8, 19-28

Introduction: Today is third Sunday during advent. While the first two Sundays of the Advent Season draw our attention to the eschatological coming of the Lord, the third Sunday focuses our attention much more on the Lord already present among us. This Sunday is known as 'Gaudete (Rejoice!) Sunday'.  The Mass formularies today still retain the call to 'rejoice', and the source and cause of that rejoicing is clearly the presence of God in our midst. Our joy gets more and more intense as we advance in our journey of faith. And so, we light the rose colored candle, the 3^rd in the series in the Advent wreath, and use rose vestments symbolizing our hope and our joy as we await the coming of our Savior at Christmas. We rejoice because the day of salvation is near.

Story: Father Ernest gives a beautiful story. A certain monastery discovered that it was going through a crisis. Some of the monks left, no new candidates joined them, and people were no longer coming for prayer and consultation as they used to. The few monks that remained were becoming old and depressed and bitter in their relationship with one another. The abbot heard about a holy man, a hermit living alone in the woods and decided to consult him. He told the hermit how the monastery had dwindled and diminished and now looks like a skeleton of what it used to be. Only seven old monks remained. The hermit told the abbot that he has a secret for him. One of the monks now living in his monastery is actually the Messiah, but he is living in such a way that no one could recognize him.

With this revelation the abbot goes back to his monastery, summons a community meeting and recounts what the holy hermit told him. The aging monks look at each other in unbelief, trying to discern who among them could be the Christ. Could it be Brother Mark who prays all the time? But he has this holier-than-thou attitude toward others. Could it be Bother Joseph who is always ready to help? But he is always eating and drinking and cannot fast. The abbot reminded them that the Messiah has adopted some bad habits as a way of camouflaging his real identity. This only made them more confused and they could not make a headway figuring out who was the Christ among them. At the end of the meeting what each one of the monks knew for sure was that any of the monks, excepting himself, could be the Christ.

From that day, however, the monks began to treat one another with greater respect and humility, knowing that the person they are speaking to could be the very Christ. They began to show more love for one another, their common life became more brotherly and their common prayer more fervent. Slowly people began to take notice of the new spirit in the monastery and began coming back for retreats and spiritual direction. Word began to spread and, before you know it, candidates began to show up and the monastery began to grow again in number as the monks grew in zeal and holiness. All this because a man of God drew their attention to the truth that Christ was living in their midst as one of them.

Exegesis: In today’s gospel John the Baptist tries to announce the same powerful message to the Jews of his time who were anxiously waiting for the coming of the Messiah. John tells them: “Among you stands one whom you do not know, the one who is coming after me; I am not worthy to untie the thong of his sandal” (John 1:26-27).

Practical Applications: Are we now better able to recognize Christ in the persons of the ordinary men and women in our midst together with their unimpressive attitudes, habits and appearances?

Introduction:  Third Sunday of Advent

Message: John witnesses to one who is to come, one far mightier than he, one who will proclaim freedom and deliverance from sin and death.  As we await his coming again in glory, let us join with Mary in singing the praises of God.

III Sunday Advent: Is 61: 1-2, 10-11; 1 Thes 5: 16-24; Jn 1: 6-8, 19-28

Third Sunday Advent:[B]: Is 61: 1-2, 10-11; 1 Thes 5: 16-24; Jn 1: 6-8, 19-28

Introduction : The third Sunday of Advent is called “gaudete Sunday” because today’s Mass (in its original Latin text), begins with the opening antiphon: “Gaudete in Domino semper” --“Rejoice in the Lord always.” To remind ourselves that we are preparing for the very joyful occasion of the birth of Jesus, we light the rose candle, and the priest may wear rose vestments.  The common theme of today’s scripture readings is one of joy, encouragement and the need for preparation required from us as we are awaiting the rebirth of Jesus in our hearts and lives.  Holy Scripture reminds us that the past, present and future coming of Jesus is the reason for our rejoicing.

Exegesis : "There was a man named John, sent by God to give testimony to the Light."  The first words of today's gospel tell us everything we need to know about John the Baptist.  He was sent to give testimony.  He was sent.  The word in the original Greek is apostolein, apostle.  To give testimony, the word in the original Greek is marturios, martyr.  John the Baptist is an apostle and a martyr.  Actually, John was the first apostle.  He was the first one sent to proclaim the presence of the Christ.  He was also the first Christian martyr.  John was the first one to give testimony to the truth of Christ among us.  He realized that Divine Truth had entered the world as a human being.  This was no time to hedge on the truth. John would rather die than turn from the truth. And he did die, a martyr to Truth.

Like John the Baptist we also have been called to be apostles and witnesses.  We have been entrusted with a mission from God.  We are created for a purpose.  We were given God's life at baptism so we can share his life with others.  We are his witnesses.  We are called to make the presence of Christ a reality in our worlds by giving witness to his presence in our own lives.

Joke1):  One day the Sunday School Teacher asked Johnny, "Now, Johnny, tell me – do you say prayers before eating?”  “No ma'am," little Johnny replies, "I don't have to.  My Mom is a good cook." 

The world needs our witness to Christ so badly.  Look how evident that is right now, just eleven days before Christmas.  Some claim that Christ does not exist, or that if he exists he has lost his impact upon the world.  With this as the basis of their lives, they condemn themselves to a life of frustration.  Because they reject Christ, they reject his cross and find themselves incapable of putting sacrifice for others before their own selfishness. The cross of the Lord is our salvation.  It saves us from evil.  It saves us from selfishness.  It saves us from ourselves.

It is politically correct to demand that all mention of Jesus be taken out of Christmas. It’s very name is to be changed to “Winter Holidays”.  Here’s a secret that I don’t want you to tell the politically correct: the word holiday come from the union of two words holy and day.  Holy Days were always days off from work.  Sadly, at the heart of those who oppose a religious significance to Christmas is their desire to transform the celebration of Christ's presence among us to the exact opposite of the whole reason why God sent his Son. They reject Christ and contort Christmas into a celebration of materialism.  Sadly for so many people in our country, their Christmas models their lives: shallow, empty, meaningless.

The world that has rejected Jesus Christ needs witnesses to His Presence.  The world needs new John the Baptists to point to Jesus.  We are called to be these witnesses.  We are called to stand up before friends, families, working companions, or maybe just that idle acquaintance on an airplane, and say, with our lives more than our words,  "For me, the Life of Christ is more important than anything the world can offer."  And if this is a reality, at the core of our being, the Holy Spirit that is within us will convince others of the truth of our witness.

We are called to wear a cross, not just around our necks but imprinted upon our very being.  We are called to sacrificial lives.  We are called to sacrificial love.  We recognize the presence of Christ in our families, among our immediate society, and throughout the world.  We are called to reverence God in every action of our lives because our commitment to Christ in the whole reason for our lives.

The very world that has rejected Jesus craves his presence. People complain about a world in darkness.  They fill bookshelves with self help books and books telling them where to find meaning in life.  They search for light everywhere except the most obvious place.  They overlook the presence of Christ among them and even within them.  This is where we come in.  We have been sent by God.  We are the new apostles.  We have been called, chosen, to lead people out of the cave of darkness into the Light of the Lord.

Joke2):  After the baptism of his baby brother in church one Sunday, little Johnny sobbed all the way home in the back seat of the car.  His father asked him three times what was wrong.  Finally, the boy replied, "That priest said he wanted us brought up in a Christian home, but I want to stay with you guys!"  

We have been called to be witnesses.  We are the new witnesses, and in many ways, the new martyrs. We give testimony to the Truth of the Lord even if this testimony takes a personal toll on us in our homes, at our workplace or in our neighborhoods.  We are the new John the Baptists, apostles and witnesses. We have a responsibility to the world around us to reflect the presence of Christ.  Others need to find Jesus.  Others need the testimony of those who are sent by God.

Conclusion : We, apostles and witnesses, the new Baptists, will best prepare for Christmas if we spend time determining how we can better be faithful to our mission of reflecting God's presence in the world.

“Rejoice in the Lord always, again I say rejoice.”  The message of this Third Sunday of Advent is simple: Our lives must lead others to rejoice in the Light.

“There was a man sent by God to give testimony to the Light.”  May we have the courage to continue the work of John the Baptist.

II Sunday of Advent:[B]: Is 40:1-5, 9-11; 2 Pt 3:8-14; Mk 1:1-8

II Sunday of Advent:[B]: Is 40:1-5, 9-11; 2 Pt 3:8-14; Mk 1:1-8

Today, on the Second Sunday of Advent, the emphasis begins to shift from the Lord’s final coming in glory to his coming in human flesh. Every year, on this day, as preparation for Christmas, the Church leads us on pilgrimage to the Jordan River, so that we might enroll in the school of John the Baptist, hear his message, and put it into action in our lives. At first glance, it seems like a strange choice to meet him at the Jordan. But the reason why the Church always visits John at the Jordan is because he was the one chosen by God the Father from all eternity to get His people ready to receive His Son, who was already walking toward the Jordan River to inaugurate his public ministry. The Gospel Reading of today from St. Mark presents John the Baptist as our model for Advent preparation; he is the precursor who announced the Lord's coming and who prepared the people by preaching them “the baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins.”

Scripture lessons: The first reading, taken from the prophet Isaiah, tells us about the Babylonian exiles coming home to their native country, Judah, and their holy city, Jerusalem. Isaiah assures his people that the Lord will lead them in a grand procession to their homeland and take care of them as a shepherd cares for his sheep. The Responsorial psalm describes how shalom or perfect peace is coming home with the Lord’s coming. The second reading, taken from the second letter of Peter, invites us to get ready to go home to Heaven with Jesus at his second coming.  Peter tells those who doubt the second coming of Jesus that God’s way of counting time is different from ours and that God has His own reasons for delaying Christ’s second coming.

Event: In December 1903, after many attempts, the Wright brothers were successful in getting their "flying machine" off the ground. Thrilled, they telegraphed this message to their sister Katherine: "We have actually flown 120 feet. Will be home for Christmas." Katherine hurried to the editor of the local newspaper and showed him the message. He glanced at it and said, "How nice. The boys will be home for Christmas." He totally missed the big news – man had flown! Many of us are thrilled at the gifts, food and festivities of the holiday season, ignoring the fact that Christ’s birth is the true reason for this “holiday season,” and that these are HOLY DAYS intended to give Jesus a homecoming by bringing him into our hearts and daily lives.

Joke: A man who thought he was John the Baptist was disturbing the neighborhood. So for public safety, he was forcefully taken to the psychiatric ward of a hospital. He was put in a room with another crazy patient. He immediately began his routine, “I am John the Baptist! The Lord has sent me as the forerunner of Christ the Messiah!”  The other guy looked at him and declared, “I am the Lord your God. I did not send you!”

Practical Applications: 1) He is coming into our lives, if we let Him. We have to prepare for Him. Christmas is the celebration of love. It is a celebration of the Love that God the Father has for us to send us His Son. It is the celebration of the love we have for each other, manifested externally in gifts, but only as reflections of the love within each of us. For a gift given out of necessity is not a gift of love, it is just an obligation of a season. God the Father gave us a Gift of Love. We need to return this Gift to Him by giving our deep love to each other.

2) We are invited by the Church to prepare for Christmas by repenting of our sins and renewing our lives so that Jesus may be reborn in us. Let us ask with Alexander Pope the challenging question, “What do I profit, if Jesus is born in thousands of cribs all over the world unless he is born in my heart and in my life?” We should allow Jesus to be reborn in our lives.  People around us should recognize Jesus’ rebirth in our lives by our sharing love, unconditional forgiveness, compassionate and merciful heart and spirit of humble and committed service. Let us accept the challenge of John the Baptist to turn this advent season into a real spiritual homecoming by making the necessary preparations for the fresh arrival of our Lord and Savior Jesus into our hearts and lives.

Second Sunday of Advent : Introduction

Message: As we await new heavens and a new earth, let us make clear the way of the Lord by being servants of Justice, truth and peace.

Saints and Events in this week:  8 – Eighth – Monday – The Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Patronal Feast Day of the United States of America; Holy day of Obligation in USA; 9 – Ninth – Tuesday – Saint Juan Diego Cuauhtlatoatzin; 11 – Eleventh – Saint Damasus I, Pope; 12 – Friday – Our Lady of Guadalupe; 13 – Thirteenth – Saturday – Saint Lucy, Virgin, Martyr;

II SUNDAY OF ADVENT : Is 40:1-5, 9-11; 2 Pt 3: 8-14; Mk 1: 1-8

II SUNDAY OF ADVENT :[B]: Is 40:1-5, 9-11; 2 Pt 3: 8-14; Mk 1: 1-8

Portrait : A theologian had a painting of the crucifixion in his study. It showed John the Baptist with a long bony finger pointing to Jesus. One day a visitor asked, "What is your job?" The theologian walked over to the painting and said, "I am that finger." Do our lives point people to Christ? Or do they turn them away from Him? Before you answer, remember what Gandhi  said, "I would have become a Christian if ever I had met one."

In a recent year, Joseph Donders writes, "One third of all the books in the United States were written on Jesus."

Given that remarkable fact, can you fault the Church setting up the training camp season that is Advent at the opening of a new Liturgical year?  The Church gives us four weeks to burn off ten pounds of ugly spiritual fat. Thus we will be properly ready to greet the Nazarene on His annual Christmas visit.

Event: A school principal called the house of one of his teachers to find out why he was not in school. He was greeted by a small child who whispers: “Hello?”

“Is your Daddy home?” asked the principal.
“Yes,” answered the whispering child.
“May I talk with him?” the man asked.
“No,” replied the small voice.
“Is your Mommy there?” he asked.
“Yes,” came the answer.
“May I talk with her?”
Again the small voice whispered, “No.”
“All right,” said the man, “Is there any one there besides you?”
“Yes,” whispered the child, “A policeman.”
“A policeman? Now, may I speak with the policeman?”
“No, he's busy,” whispered the child..
“Busy doing what?” asked the principal.
“Talking to Daddy and Mommy and the fireman,” came the child’s answer.
“The fireman? Has there been a fire in the house or something?” asked the worried man.
“No,” whispered the child.
“Then what are the police and fireman doing there?”
Still whispering, the young voice replied with a soft giggle, “They are looking for me.”

It would be pretty hard for the “rescuers” to find this child as long as the child keeps hiding from them. In today’s gospel we see John the Baptist in the desert calling out to the people of Judea to come out into the open desert and let God find them. You can liken it to the fireman calling out to the “lost” child. The child has to leave his hiding place and come out into the open for the fireman to find him.

To go into the desert is to leave behind the normal props of life on which we tend to depend. Such life props we often find in our job, in relationships and in routine religious practices. God cannot do much with us as long as we hope and trust in these things as the first things that give meaning to our lives. When the heart is full no one can come into it, not even God. You have first to let go of what your heart is holding on to before you can embrace God. This letting go is symbolized by a journey into the barren desert.

Exegesis: He didn’t look like them.  He didn’t talk like them.  He was not part of the crowd that had always held power.  Yet he talked about change.  And the people listened, and followed.

John the Baptist dressed in camel’s hair and had a leather belt.  He didn’t dress like the Scribes, Pharisees and Temple priests.  He never was part of that crowd.  But John the Baptist talked about change that was certainly coming.  The thing is for the change to take place, it was the people who had to change.  If there is going to be no more war, then people need to stop hating others.  If there is going to be charity and care for all, then people needed to look inside their hearts and pull out the justice of God that resides there.  If there is going to be change, then people needed to change.

That is the change we can believe in.  “Prepare for the Lord,” John the Baptist proclaims in the Gospel for this Second Sunday of Advent.  Prepare for the Lord by preparing yourselves.  And the people from throughout the Judean countryside and the inhabitants of Jerusalem went out to the Jordan River where John was preaching.  And they confessed their sins.  And they were baptized.  And the change had begun.

We all want our country and our world to be better.  We all want a cure for cancer and AIDS and malnutrition and every ailment or condition that is killing people.  We all want the poor to be cared for.  We all want an end to violence both that which is carried out by terrorists and that which takes place in every town and city throughout the world. We all want peace.  But what are we doing about it?  The heart of John the Baptist’s message is that if we want change, if we really want the One who will reform the world and return mankind to God’s original plan, then we need to change.

Joke: There was a congregation that was struggling to build a new church. Almost all the members had stepped forward generously with their pledges. But there was one major holdout, the town banker, and he hadn't given a penny. So, very reluctantly, the minister decided to make a personal call on the banker to plead his case. The banker responded candidly. "I know you must think I'm a cheapskate, Reverend, but I'm really under terrible financial pressures at the moment. My son's at an Ivy League school at a cost of $25,000 a year. My mother's bedridden in a rest home at $60,000 a year. My daughter's husband abandoned her and the nine kids and she needs $40,000 a year. Now you got to understand, Reverend. If I've said 'no' to them, how can I say 'yes' to you?"

This is tough.  It is just so much easier to sit back and expect the government to change, the world to change, other people to change.  But if we really want change we can believe in, the ‘we’ need to change.

Conclusion : Let us accept the challenge of John the Baptist to turn this advent season into a real spiritual homecoming by making the necessary preparations for the fresh arrival of our Lord and Savior Jesus into our hearts and lives.