Preparing the Way
In his homily for Second Sunday of Advent, Father Hanly looks at the role of people in history faithfully preparing the way of the Lord and he reminds us to now prepare the way of the Lord into our own hearts.
Readings for Second Sunday of Advent, Year B
- First Reading: Isaiah 40:1-5, 9-11
- Responsorial Psalm: Psalms 85:9-10, 11-12, 13-14
- Second Reading: Second Peter 3:8-14
- Gospel: Mark 1:1-8
Homily for Second Sunday of Advent, Year B
Today is the Second Sunday of Advent. I believe you all know that the word “Advent” is translated from Latin. Advent means “will come” or “will arrive.”
Who is coming? Of course, it is our Lord Jesus Christ, the Prince of Peace, our Lord, our Saviour.
Every time we hear the word “Advent,” naturally we think of Christmas. Yes, Christmas is approaching! The Christmas atmosphere makes everyone so happy. We are grateful to celebrate the historical arrival of our Saviour in our world, and year after year, we enjoy commemorating the coming of our Lord, on the birthday of Jesus Christ.
When we celebrate the first Christmas, we also remember the advent of the Old Testament, the time when our faithful ancestors, the saints – who were pious and full of faith – waited patiently, generation after generation, for God to send them the Messiah to redeem mankind.
During the Advent season, we remember the famous saints, men and women, ancestors of the Saviour: Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Moses, King David and all the prophets. We honour their memory because they help us understand that God is the author of history, and that God prepared a nation, the Jews, to welcome the coming of His Son. We are grateful how He treated our holy ancestors, and it is through their faith that we can experience the joy of Christmas.
In today’s Gospel, we see John the Baptist coming out of the wilderness to teach the people of his time how to prepare for the coming of the Lord. He calls them to repent and return to God with all their heart and soul, to change their lives into simplicity and integrity.
Change from small-mindedness to generosity, from greediness to generosity, and remove from the heart of every person all the defenses that stand in the way of the coming of the Lord: selfishness, self-interest, complacency, and arrogance.
We should pray more in Advent, do more good deeds and diligently prepare a spotless environment to welcome Jesus into our hearts.
Every year during Advent, the Holy Church calls us to follow the teachings of John the Baptist, so that we will prepare well and receive the special joy and peace that Christmas brings.
Footnote: This homily was delivered by Father Hanly in the Wah Fu Mass Centre of Our Lady of Lourdes parish in Hong Kong, year unknown.