Readings for the Second Sunday of Advent[1][2]
Readings from the Jerusalem Bible
Commentary:
Reading 1 Isaiah 11:1-10
The Prophet Isaiah refers to a “shoot from the stump of Jesse.” Jesse was the father of King David. The stump refers to the line of David being cut back during the Babylonian Exile. The prophet here sees the return of the messianic King, predicting that the messiah will come from King David’s line and will ultimately bring great peace to the faithful.
Responsorial Psalm Psalm 72:1-2, 7-8, 12-13, 17
R. Justice shall flourish in his time, and fullness of peace for ever.
Psalm 72 is one of the Royal Psalms. In this selection we hear an echo of the justice and peace of the King’s rule that is reiterated in Isaiah’s prophecy above.
Reading II Romans 15:4-9
The first paragraph of this passage speaks of “what was written previously.” In this St. Paul refers to the previous verse, a paraphrase from Psalm 69 which in turn refers to messianic suffering on our behalf. Through that vision comes the hope of the faithful and Paul’s encouragement to be unified in that common hope.
The second paragraph calls for unity among all who believe in Christ. He did not come only to fulfill the Hebrew Prophecy (“the promises to the patriarchs”) but to all peoples. In the verse immediately following this selection he cites Deuteronomy 32:43 as his source.
Gospel Matthew 3:1-12
This Gospel passage from St. Matthew introduces St. John the Baptist. The Gospel author does not, as St. Luke does, make it clear that St. John is a relative of Jesus or say anything about his origins. The Baptist is making the preparatory statements to the people that will open the way for Jesus own ministry.
St. John is calling for repentance, a change of heart and conduct that will lead the faithful back to God. His attire recalls that of the prophet Elijah (who was expected to return to prepare for the final establishment of God’s Kingdom according to Hebrew tradition). We are told that he is the one predicted by the Prophet Isaiah in Isaiah 40:3.
St. John has harsh words for the Pharisees and Sadducees whom he apparently come to his ritual bath with an attitude that they do not need to repent since they are already keeping Mosaic Law scrupulously. The Baptist tells them that, while they may keep the Law, there is no conversion of heart and God will see that.
The passage concludes with St. John’s prediction of the coming of the Messiah who will “baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire.” This final reference to judgment uses the image of the harvest where chaff is separated from grain by throwing both into the air and letting the heavier grain fall back to the ground while the useless chaff is blown away and later collected and burned.
Homily:
It is said that Vince Lombardi, famed football coach of the Green Bay Packers, would start his team’s training camp each year emphasizing the basics or fundamentals of the game. In his first session of that camp it is said he would hold up the ball and say; “This is a football.” It was that basic.
The Holy Scripture we are given on this Second Sunday of Advent start with the same kind of basics. Isaiah, one of the great Prophets of the Old Testament, paints us a picture of what it will be like when Christ returns and establishes His Kingdom on earth. In essence he is saying to us “This is a football.” This is the Kingdom of God that we look for, that John the Baptist will later announce.
The Kingdom we wait for with such anticipation is amazing. Listen to the picture painted by the Prophet:
“Then the wolf shall be a guest of the lamb, and the leopard shall lie down with the kid; the calf and the young lion shall browse together, with a little child to guide them.
The cow and the bear shall be neighbors, together their young shall rest; the lion shall eat hay like the ox.
The baby shall play by the cobra’s den, and the child lay his hand on the adder’s lair. There shall be no harm or ruin on all my holy mountain; for the earth shall be filled with knowledge of the Lord, as water covers the sea.”
This is the idyllic peace to which we, the faithful, look forward. When the Lord comes again all will see and that knowledge will cover the world as the sea covers the land.
This is our Football, the Kingdom of God, unending peace infused with the love of God. St. Paul gave the early Christians of Rome this same message.
“May the God of endurance and encouragement grant you to think in harmony with one another, in keeping with Christ Jesus, that with one accord you may with one voice glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.”
He clearly looked forward with eager anticipation for that time of complete unity, when the wolf and the lamb lay down together.
And to cap things off, we find in our Gospel St. Matthew’s introduction to John the Baptist. He is calling out for us to “Prepare the way of the Lord, make straight his paths.” His statement is clear and simple. If Coach Lombardi were saying it, it would sound like; “All you have to do is take this ball and move it to the other guy’s goal;” the basics.
And just what, we may ask does that mean; “Prepare the way of the Lord, make straight his paths”? He tells those who are coming to him that they must repent. They must change their hearts to accommodate the great love God has for us. It is that love personified that we wait for in the incarnation of Jesus.
Now we may say to ourselves that “I already believe in God. I already have the faith. What do I need to repent from or for?” We find our question answered in the very next breath of our Gospel message today. The Pharisees and Sadducees came to John for his ritual purification with that same attitude. They were already at the “Top of the Spiritual Heap” in their day. They practiced Mosaic Law so rigorously that it became almost a contest. “This is a football!” says St. John. It is not the rituals you worship, it is God. It is how you live the faith that becomes the fruits of your worship, he tells the Pharisees and Sadducees. They too, we too, need to examine how we live our faith and repent – turn to the Lord with our whole hearts in this holy season.
The message today is clear. We are shown a picture by the Prophet Isaiah of the Heavenly Kingdom that is our goal. We are encouraged by St. Paul to join the whole faith community in that interior faith that makes us one for God’s glory. And finally, we are called once more by the Baptist to repent – turn our lives back to God preparing the way of the Lord, make straight his paths within us.
Pax
[1] After Links to Readings Expire
[2] The picture used is “St. John the Baptist in the Wilderness” by Hieronymus Bosch, 1495-1500
Readings from the Jerusalem Bible
Commentary:
Reading 1 Isaiah 11:1-10
The Prophet Isaiah refers to a “shoot from the stump of Jesse.” Jesse was the father of King David. The stump refers to the line of David being cut back during the Babylonian Exile. The prophet here sees the return of the messianic King, predicting that the messiah will come from King David’s line and will ultimately bring great peace to the faithful.
Responsorial Psalm Psalm 72:1-2, 7-8, 12-13, 17
R. Justice shall flourish in his time, and fullness of peace for ever.
Psalm 72 is one of the Royal Psalms. In this selection we hear an echo of the justice and peace of the King’s rule that is reiterated in Isaiah’s prophecy above.
Reading II Romans 15:4-9
The first paragraph of this passage speaks of “what was written previously.” In this St. Paul refers to the previous verse, a paraphrase from Psalm 69 which in turn refers to messianic suffering on our behalf. Through that vision comes the hope of the faithful and Paul’s encouragement to be unified in that common hope.
The second paragraph calls for unity among all who believe in Christ. He did not come only to fulfill the Hebrew Prophecy (“the promises to the patriarchs”) but to all peoples. In the verse immediately following this selection he cites Deuteronomy 32:43 as his source.
Gospel Matthew 3:1-12
This Gospel passage from St. Matthew introduces St. John the Baptist. The Gospel author does not, as St. Luke does, make it clear that St. John is a relative of Jesus or say anything about his origins. The Baptist is making the preparatory statements to the people that will open the way for Jesus own ministry.
St. John is calling for repentance, a change of heart and conduct that will lead the faithful back to God. His attire recalls that of the prophet Elijah (who was expected to return to prepare for the final establishment of God’s Kingdom according to Hebrew tradition). We are told that he is the one predicted by the Prophet Isaiah in Isaiah 40:3.
St. John has harsh words for the Pharisees and Sadducees whom he apparently come to his ritual bath with an attitude that they do not need to repent since they are already keeping Mosaic Law scrupulously. The Baptist tells them that, while they may keep the Law, there is no conversion of heart and God will see that.
The passage concludes with St. John’s prediction of the coming of the Messiah who will “baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire.” This final reference to judgment uses the image of the harvest where chaff is separated from grain by throwing both into the air and letting the heavier grain fall back to the ground while the useless chaff is blown away and later collected and burned.
Homily:
It is said that Vince Lombardi, famed football coach of the Green Bay Packers, would start his team’s training camp each year emphasizing the basics or fundamentals of the game. In his first session of that camp it is said he would hold up the ball and say; “This is a football.” It was that basic.
The Holy Scripture we are given on this Second Sunday of Advent start with the same kind of basics. Isaiah, one of the great Prophets of the Old Testament, paints us a picture of what it will be like when Christ returns and establishes His Kingdom on earth. In essence he is saying to us “This is a football.” This is the Kingdom of God that we look for, that John the Baptist will later announce.
The Kingdom we wait for with such anticipation is amazing. Listen to the picture painted by the Prophet:
“Then the wolf shall be a guest of the lamb, and the leopard shall lie down with the kid; the calf and the young lion shall browse together, with a little child to guide them.
The cow and the bear shall be neighbors, together their young shall rest; the lion shall eat hay like the ox.
The baby shall play by the cobra’s den, and the child lay his hand on the adder’s lair. There shall be no harm or ruin on all my holy mountain; for the earth shall be filled with knowledge of the Lord, as water covers the sea.”
This is the idyllic peace to which we, the faithful, look forward. When the Lord comes again all will see and that knowledge will cover the world as the sea covers the land.
This is our Football, the Kingdom of God, unending peace infused with the love of God. St. Paul gave the early Christians of Rome this same message.
“May the God of endurance and encouragement grant you to think in harmony with one another, in keeping with Christ Jesus, that with one accord you may with one voice glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.”
He clearly looked forward with eager anticipation for that time of complete unity, when the wolf and the lamb lay down together.
And to cap things off, we find in our Gospel St. Matthew’s introduction to John the Baptist. He is calling out for us to “Prepare the way of the Lord, make straight his paths.” His statement is clear and simple. If Coach Lombardi were saying it, it would sound like; “All you have to do is take this ball and move it to the other guy’s goal;” the basics.
And just what, we may ask does that mean; “Prepare the way of the Lord, make straight his paths”? He tells those who are coming to him that they must repent. They must change their hearts to accommodate the great love God has for us. It is that love personified that we wait for in the incarnation of Jesus.
Now we may say to ourselves that “I already believe in God. I already have the faith. What do I need to repent from or for?” We find our question answered in the very next breath of our Gospel message today. The Pharisees and Sadducees came to John for his ritual purification with that same attitude. They were already at the “Top of the Spiritual Heap” in their day. They practiced Mosaic Law so rigorously that it became almost a contest. “This is a football!” says St. John. It is not the rituals you worship, it is God. It is how you live the faith that becomes the fruits of your worship, he tells the Pharisees and Sadducees. They too, we too, need to examine how we live our faith and repent – turn to the Lord with our whole hearts in this holy season.
The message today is clear. We are shown a picture by the Prophet Isaiah of the Heavenly Kingdom that is our goal. We are encouraged by St. Paul to join the whole faith community in that interior faith that makes us one for God’s glory. And finally, we are called once more by the Baptist to repent – turn our lives back to God preparing the way of the Lord, make straight his paths within us.
Pax
[1] After Links to Readings Expire
[2] The picture used is “St. John the Baptist in the Wilderness” by Hieronymus Bosch, 1495-1500
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