Homily: Second Sunday of Advent (B)
Mark 1:1-8
10 December 2023
Fr. Ricky Cañet Montañez
In the first few years of my religious formation in Worcester, Massachusetts, I found out the American Assumptionists were amused at how Filipinos sometimes use lips, instead of fingers to point to things. One time, a fellow Filipino in formation was asked by one of the American brothers for the Bible he had borrowed from him. This Filipino brother promptly gestured with his lips to point to a Bible on the table. The American priest jokingly quipped: “Did you want to kiss me?”
Our readings today highlight the role of John the Baptist as one who points to the coming of the Messiah. The First Reading (Isaiah 40:1-5;9-11) sets the tone for the events in our gospel passage. Remember that as a consequence of their disloyalty to God, Israel had been suffering crushing defeats from their enemies. The land had been pillaged and occupied by foreigners and their people exiled abroad and treated as second class citizens. God comforts His people, through Isaiah, that He has forgiven their sins “[their] service is at an end” and “[their] sins are expiated.” He promises that He will be reunited with His people. He will rule over them with strength and power to gather them and see to their needs as a shepherd cares for and feeds his flock. Eventually, Babylon was conquered by Persia. A year after Cyrus the Great allowed the Jews to return home. Over 50,000 Jews returned to Jerusalem with the prophet Ezra and rebuilt the city as a province of Persia. Ever since the prophecy of Isaiah, Israel has been waiting about 700 years for the Messiah.
Seven hundred (700) years is a long time and God made sure that there would be a precursor, someone to prepare His people for the arrival of the Promised One. John knew his place. He knew someone was to come after him who was much greater than himself such that he was not even worthy to untie this person’s sandal straps. By our standards, John was a celebrity, himself. He was no ordinary person. His very name means “God has been gracious.” He was a miracle baby since his mom, Elizabeth, bore him in her old age, while his father lost his ability to speak for the duration of his wife’s pregnancy. As an adult he lived an extraordinary life in the desert, wearing camel’s hair and a leather belt and eating only locusts and honey. The uniqueness of his lifestyle and his charismatic preaching easily won him a lot of followers. John the Baptist was “trending”, no doubt. He had quite a following already and He could have competed with Jesus with his hefty following. Instead, he promoted the coming of Jesus by preparing the way for His entry into public ministry. And then, when the time was right, he simply faded into the background to let Jesus’ ministry take centre stage.
Lately, Edoardo Santini, voted Italy’s most beautiful man in 2019, went viral after he declared he was going to become a priest. After a lifetime of studying drama and dance to achieve his dream of becoming a star, Santini said on social media he would renounce his career for his faith. At 21 years of age, I find myself on the path towards becoming a priest, God willing,’ Edoardo said. ‘I’ve decided to give up modelling work, acting and dance, but I won’t abandon all my passions, I’ll just live them differently, offering them up to God.’ He claims to have joined a seminary near Florence. In a society that values appearances, he would have been a huge success but he chose to step into the shadows so he could, like John the Baptist, and the priests of today, God’s instrument to call people’s attention to the presence of Jesus and to prepare them for the coming of God’s Kingdom.
Like John the Baptist, we are also invited to point others to Jesus. We accomplish much by simply giving generously of our time, talent and resources to all those around us. In doing these simple, everyday acts of love, mercy, and compassion we make Jesus present for others. We show them He is real and that He speaks only the truth —especially His teachings about love and the Kingdom of God. Like the Jews of the past, we are also waiting for Jesus. It has been over 2000 years since Jesus ascended to Heaven and promised to return to us. St. Peter tells us that God’s time is never late and a thousand years to Him is like a day. In view of this he reminds us to continue to conduct ourselves with holiness and devotion and be conscious of the kind of persons we ought to be for Jesus’ return.
Brothers and sisters, as followers of Jesus, we all have the responsibility to continue the work of Jesus. It is for us to endeavour to share Him with others that they may also find their way to Him. St. John Mary Vianney once said to a shepherd who had shown him the way to Ars… “You have shown me the way to Ars. I will show you the way to heaven.” One good turn deserves another. May we all find ourselves in Jesus and continue to lead others to Him.
Photo of the Art Work by Art Dela Cruz
Sunday Gospel Reflections 