2nd Sunday of Advent

Ilizwi Homilies
Sunday, 10 December 2023 ***
2nd Sunday of Advent
“Bethlehem candle – Peace”
Isaiah 40: 1-5, 9-11
Psalm 85: 9-14
2 Peter 3: 8-14
Mark 1: 1-8

GOSPEL – Good News
“Prepare the WAY of the LORD, make his paths STRAIGHT” – Mk 1:3

The context of the 1st reading is the exiled Israelites in Babylon. Considering the military strength of the Babylonians, there was no possible way they could escape from exile. It is in this situation of hopelessness that the prophet Isaiah comes up to tell them to prepare for their liberation, God is coming to free them. Their slavery is about to end. “Tell them they have suffered long enough and their sins are now forgiven” (Is 40:2).

This is also the message for us today. That no matter how bleak our spiritual and physical state may be, our Saviour is coming to free us.

This new beginning is clearly marked in the Gospel. Mark begins with “The beginning of ….” This echoes Gen 1:1 “In the beginning God created heaven and earth.” Mark is therefore telling us the story of God’s new beginning, creating anew.

The word “gospel” in the time of Jesus originally meant the proclamation of an event of major importance for the people. For example, if a new prince is born, a messenger will go around shouting, “gospel, gospel, a prince is born”. Or after victory in battle, a messenger will run from the battlefield shouting, “gospel, gospel, we have won”. A proclamation of this news generally led to feasting and rejoicing.

Today we can call this “breaking news”. In the case of Zimbabwe, it is the experience they had when it was announced that President Mugabe had resigned. This “good news”, “gospel” led to spontaneous jubilation and celebrations in the streets. This is exactly what the word Gospel means. It means a proclamation of the anticipated “good news” which usher a new era, filled with hope for a new and better life.

Today’s liturgy is proclaiming this new beginning filled with hope for your life and family. The wait is over.

And John the Baptist is inviting us to prepare for this occasion by going into the desert. In the Bible, the desert means a place of encounter with God. It was in the desert that the people of Israel met God and learned the ways of God. There they became God’s own people and the Lord became their God.

The 2nd week of Advent is our desert week. Where we are to renounce our sins and have a complete conversion of the heart (cf. Mk 1:4) and begin our long journey back to the homeland we had lost (cf. 1st reading).

The 2nd reading tells us that when we speak of the coming of the Lord we should not merely be looking for a date for the end of the world, but rather we must make use of the available time to work out our repentance and pursue that which is right.

Today’s liturgy tells us of the preparation needed to be done as we prepare for Christmas. Isaiah calls for the abandonment of fear, hopelessness, and doubt. 2nd reading calls for patience and focus in preparing. The Gospel invites us to a total conversion of mind and heart (metanoia).

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