Second Sunday of Advent

Cycle C

Homily on December 8 2024

Prepare the way of the Lord

Today, dear friends, we have heard readings that invite us to wait. First we heard the prophet speak of preparing roads, valleys, mountains and more. This in order to have everything ready for the coming Lord. In a second moment St. Paul speaks with joy to his community, he proudly mentions to them the great love they have for each other in our Lord Jesus. Paul also continues to invite them to the joyful expectation of Jesus. And finally in the gospel we hear the beginning of the ministry of John the Baptist, who begins to prepare the way of Jesus.

Reading and meditating on these readings, it makes me think that at this time of year we are always waiting for something or someone, whether it is relatives who come from far away to visit us, friends who we haven't seen for a long time, or simply the days of rest that our jobs or schools offer during these days. I am working in Kenya, in a very large slam called Kibera, where there are many children now enjoying their school holidays. And many of them as well as their parents share the joy of being able to go and visit their relatives in their villages or places of origin. Waiting makes for a different way of living day to day life.

And I was meditating, when I was a child also had the same attitude for those who were coming to visit me and without doubt in many families the attitude and the feeling is the same. All these days put us to work to prepare our house to receive those who come to visit us. We clean, repair rooms, houses or places where we will host them. We prepare or buy their favorite food to share and have a nice time. It is undoubtedly a time of preparation and joy for what is to come.

This is the same preparation that today's readings ask of us, to prepare roads, to arrange places, to dress ourselves with joy. But this preparation must be imitative of the example of today's readings. From St. Paul we can imitate that great joy and thankfulness of being part of a Christian community that hopes in the love of our Lord Jesus. From the prophet we learn to change our attitude and wear the face of joy that the Lord is coming and with him the hope of something better for us. And no doubt in the gospel to imitate the example of John the Baptist and carry out the mission we have to prepare the way of the Lord.

The path we must prepare is no different from that of the readings. Joy shared, justice practiced, community value, the joy of knowing we are part of a community around Jesus, love as a constant and in these times hope, just as John the Baptist proclaimed a hope that the savior was coming and therefore conversion was required. So let us not miss this opportunity to be now the messengers and preparers of the new news which is the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. Let us not lose the mission to be the new heralds of the coming of the Lord. Let us enjoy with joy the wait we have for his coming, let us clothe ourselves with the joy of knowing that our Lord Jesus is coming and with him the hope of a new future.