Second Sunday in Advent 2013

Second Sunday of Advent (A)

8 December 2013

Matthew 3: 1-12

In those days John the Baptist came, preaching in the Desert of Judea  and saying, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is near.”  This is he who was spoken of through the prophet Isaiah: “A voice of one calling in the desert, ‘Prepare the way for the Lord, make straight paths for him.’ ”

John’s clothes were made of camel’s hair, and he had a leather belt around his waist. His food was locusts and wild honey.  People went out to him from Jerusalem and all Judea and the whole region of the Jordan.  Confessing their sins, they were baptized by him in the Jordan River.

Explore New Paths

JoséAntonio Pagola

About the year 27 or 28 an original and independent prophet appeared in the Jordanian desert who made a strong impression  on the Jewish people: the first Christian generations always saw him as the man who prepared the way for Jesus.

His whole message could be reduced to a single cry: “Prepare the way for the Lord, make his paths straight.”After twenty centuries, Pope Francis is proclaiming the same message to Christians: “Open paths to God, return to Jesus, welcome the Gospel.”

His purpose is clear: “Seek to be a Church that looks for new ways.” It will not be easy. We have lived through these last years paralyzed by fear. The Pope is not surprised: “ Novelty always gives us a little fear because we feel more secure if we have everything under control, if it is we who build, program and plan our lives.” And he asks us a question we need to answer: Are we ready to journey along the new roads that the novelty of God opens up before us or will we dig ourselves into outdated structures that have lost the ability to respond?

Some sectors in the Church are asking the Pope to push through as soon as possible different reforms they consider urgent. However, Francis has clearly stated his position: “Some hope for  and are asking me for reforms in the Church and they must be implemented. But first a change in attitudes is necessary.

The evangelical clarity of vision of Pope Francis seems admirable to me. Signing  reform decrees is  not what’s important.  It is necessary to first put Christian communities in readiness for conversion and to recover within the Church the most basic evangelical attitudes. Only in such a climate will it be possible to undertake effectively  and in the spirit of the Gospel the reforms the Church needs urgently.

 Francis himself is showing us everyday the changes in attitude we need. Let me highlight some very important ones:

·         Place Jesus at the center of the Church: “ a Church that does not have Jesus is a dead Church.”

·         Do not live in a closed Church centered on itself: “ a Church closed in on the past betrays its identity.”

·         Always act moved by the compassion of God for all his children: do not foster “ a legalistic Christianity  or one bent on restoring the past; one that wants to have everything clear and secure and does not find anything.”

·         “Look for a poor Church and a Church of the poor.”

·         Anchor our lives in hope not in our regulations, our ecclesiastical and clerical behavior.