2^nd Sunday of Advent, Year A: Homily by Fr Isaac Chima

Theme: Preparing the Way for the Kingdom of Peace and Justice

Readings: Is. 11:1-10; 2nd: Rom 15:4-9; Mt 3:1-12

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, this second Sunday of Advent comes with a message of consolation for a world battered by poor leadership. It brings us the promise of a king unlike the rulers and governments we have known on earth—a king whose reign will be marked by global peace and justice for the poor and for all humanity. It also invites us to prepare the way for the arrival of this king in our lives.

The first reading today presents God’s response, through the prophet Isaiah, to the people of Israel whose faith was weakened by the bad examples of their kings and leaders. Recall that the reign of King David was marked by prosperity, peace, victory in battle, and justice for the people. Yet after David’s death, his successors failed to uphold his legacy. They abandoned peace and justice, choosing instead corruption, pagan worship, and alliances contrary to God’s will and the counsel of the prophets. These unfaithful practices eroded the people’s loyalty and trust in God, leaving many to wonder whether He would ever intervene in their troubles.

It was in the midst of this doubt, weakened faith, and suffering that Isaiah delivered the prophecy we hear today. He dispelled the people’s fears and rekindled their hope by announcing the coming of a new Davidic king from the root of Jesse—a king greater than David. Isaiah described his qualities: the Spirit of the Lord would rest upon him; he would possess wisdom, understanding, counsel, might, knowledge, and fear of the Lord. He would establish peace and justice, judging the poor and the whole world with righteousness.

The Psalm echoes this vision, portraying the beauty of the king’s reign: “He will judge the people with justice and the poor with right judgment. In his days justice shall flourish and great peace till the moon is no more. He shall rule from sea to sea, and from the river to the ends of the earth. He shall save the needy when they cry, the poor and those who are helpless. He will have pity on the weak and the needy, and save the lives of the needy.”

Isaiah also painted a vivid picture of this kingdom: a realm of peace and tranquility where natural enemies live together in harmony—the wolf with the lamb, the leopard with the kid, the calf with the lion. It is a kingdom where the strong relinquish their power to dwell alongside the weak, where privilege is not used to oppress but to uplift.

We can do the same in our homes and society, transforming our families and relationships into places where the strong do not use their abilities to oppress or look down on others, but to help and uplift them.

Dear friends, this kingdom envisioned by Isaiah was inaugurated by Jesus, the Son of David, when He walked the streets of Jerusalem preaching the good news of peace and love, and ultimately consummated it through His death on the cross. To prepare the people for this kingdom, John the Baptist proclaimed repentance and forgiveness of sins, as we heard in today’s Gospel: “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand. Prepare the way of the Lord, make his paths straight.” He warned the Pharisees and Sadducees to abandon their hypocrisy and embrace true repentance.

This same message is given to us by the Church this Advent as we prepare for the celebration of Christ’s birth and His second coming. Christ has already established the kingdom of Isaiah’s vision, but our sins obstruct its full realization in our lives and in our world. When we repent, embrace authentic Christian living, forgive those who have offended us, and abandon pretense, we open our hearts and homes to the kingdom of peace, love, justice, and righteousness that Christ established on earth.

In the second reading, St. Paul reminds us that true reformation of life is essential for the reign of peace and justice in society. He prayed for the Jewish Christians in Rome, that they might live in harmony with their Gentile brothers and sisters, accepting them as equals while awaiting Christ’s return. Dear friends, when we live in harmony with our neighbors, friends, and family, we create space for peace, love, justice, and tranquility. Indeed, when we live in harmony with others, the kingdom of Christ reigns in our midst.

The vision of Isaiah urges us to live harmoniously, not using our strength or privileges to oppress, but to support the weak among us. It calls us to use our gifts, natural abilities, and resources to uplift our brothers and sisters. This, dear friends, is a beautiful way to prepare for Christmas.

Peace be with you.

Fr. Isaac Chinemerem Chima

 2^ND SUNDAY OF ADVENT, YEAR A: REFLECTION BY FR. JULIAN EKEH

THEME: THE VOICE OF ONE CRYING

(Matthew 3:1-12)

As we anticipate the cry of the Bethlehem babe that brings salvation to the whole world, a voice is heard in the wilderness crying. It is not the voice of the anticipated child but of his emissary. It is not the cry of joy but the cry of warning, it is not the cry of carols but a prophetic cry. It is never a call for jubilation but a cry for self-examination and introspection. It is like the cry of a town crier. He has sounded his gong. He wishes to draw attention. He has broken the silence of the night. He wishes to awaken the sleepers who enjoyed the morning sweet sleep. He disturbs the peace of those who are in erroneous comfort zones.

 

WHO IS THE CRIER?

His name is John. He is known with what he was doing: baptising and preaching. He was not materialistic pointing to the fact that his message is more of spiritual. He was not a heavy eater reminding us the spirit that should precede the coming of Christ which should involve mortifications. He was seen moving around crying.

 

WHY WAS HE CRYING?

He was disturbed about the present state of his people. He was troubled about what the people have created themselves to become leaving aside what God made them to be. He was saddened by the fact that those created in the image of God has turned to become vipers. The viper is a kind of serpent. The serpent was the figurative creature that lured man into losing his initial place in the mind of God which necessitated the need for salvation. The viper bites. He is condemned to attack the heels. John cries for the already inflicted injuries the world was suffering and he cries aloud. He cries for the sins of mankind. He cries for those who have made themselves agents of the devil.

 

WHAT WAS HE CRYING?

REPENT

The voice calls for metanoia. The voice calls for total turnaround from evil to good. The voice calls for conversion, the voice cries out for a change of lifestyle. What in you do you need to change? Change everything that is not Divine, change everything that is mundane, change from everything that is diabolic. Change from everything that has changed you from good to bad.

 

PREPARE A WAY FOR THE LORD

Let Him enter the king of glory. The voice reminds us of the one who comes just as we are reminded of the pastoral visit of the bishop, the coming of the president into a state etc. If people prepare for these comings with great magnitude, why wouldn't John cry that the people of his time did not take the coming of the Christ seriously? Let's level the high mountains of pride and straighten the crocked ways of deceptions.

 

NEVER BE PRESUMPTUOUS

Presumption is a great vice. The voice of John warned against all forms of claims and connections that served as alibi for evil. John condemned all acts of making religion a 'refugium pecatorum' thereby covering up one's evil deeds with the garb of religion. He warns against effortless religiosity and thinking that anything gives you licence not to do good. He warns against the abuse of divine grace, he cries about spiritual laziness and what James will call 'faith without good works'. He warns against nominalism; answering a Christian, a priest, a catechist, a Christian Man or Woman, A Catholic youth or Mary League and thinking that these are enough to connect us to God without good works.

 

DO NOT BE MERE CHAFF

Who will not cry when he comes to observe that what he has in his barn or store is nothing but chaff? Chaff is worthless. Jesus wants to meet us with worth. We've got to make ourselves worthy of his coming. What are those things that have rendered us worthless before God?  John cries and urges us to take up our meaning and usefulness from God by paying heed to his word.

 

APPRECIATE YOUR BAPTISM

John pointed them to the baptism they were to receive in Christ. We that got the privilege of being baptised in the name of Christ are we living as those reborn? Has the introduction of Christ made any impart in us? Have we actually rejected the sins we promised to reject?

Let us troop to the confessional and ask God to forgive us. Let us welcome Christ in a state of grace. Let us not relax thinking there is still time to make up. Let our conversion and  repentance be today.

May God bless His word in our hearts

 

LET US PRAY

Thank You Almighty Father for opening our ears to hear Your word today.

May that lonely voice crying in the wilderness not be in vain. May we troop out en mass with our families and friends to welcome Christ today, at Christmas and always for You live and reign forever and ever. Amen

 

Happy Sunday to you (Second Sunday of Advent Yr A)

Rev Fr Julian O Ekeh