Penitence; Do it now!

Dec 06, 2024

2nd Sunday of Advent (C)
Readings: Baruch 5:1-9;
Philippians 1:3-6, 8-11;
Gospel: Luke 3:1-6

Stay Awake! “Watch and pray constantly; Make ready the way of the Lord; Blameless when Jesus comes; Arise Jerusalem these are some of the words that we hear during the season of Advent.

The word “Advent” stems from the Latin word adventus, which literally means “coming” or “arrival.” Primarily this refers to the first coming of Jesus on Christmas day. However, the season of Advent is also focused on two other “comings” of Jesus. We know that the coming of the Lord is threefold...The first coming was in flesh and weakness, the middle coming is in spirit and power, and the final coming will be in glory and majesty.

At the first coming, Christ was our redemption; at the last, He will become manifest as our life; but in this middle way He is our rest and our consolation. Listen to what the Lord has to say what this middle coming really is: “If anyone loves me, He will keep my words, and the Father will love Him, and we shall come to Him. This “middle” coming is Jesus’ arrival into our own lives. The Church often explains this to be through the sacraments, in particular through Baptism and the Holy Eucharist. It not a “physical” coming, but a spiritual one, where Christ comes to dwell within our souls. Each Advent we are challenged to prepare for all three comings of Christ, celebrating his birth, while also preparing our heart to receive him now and at the end of time.

The most relevant question at this juncture is, what and how are we supposed to prepare? Certainly, our hearts, our behaviours and conducts? Yes, but how?

Let’s look at the whole dynamics. If the priest has the duty to preach to you, you also have to that of listening to him and of receiving with good dispositions what he announces to you on behalf of God. If I as a priest am bound to bring the divine word to you, you are bound to pay attention to it, to learn it well and to practice what you are taught.

A random survey of the spiritual health of many church goers and believers tell us that many of them are wounded, afflicted, confused of the reality of existence, family and marital conflicts, depression, frustration in the work place, and etc. Therefore, we the fallen human, although redeemed, seek instant gratification of pleasure, money, and power. We seldom profit from the Word of God.

There are two reasons why people don’t profit by the word of God. Procrastination is the first reason, they may hear the word and be interiorly moved by it, but they postpone its accomplishment until tomorrow. The Roman consul Cicero called procrastination ‘hateful’ in the conduct of affairs. Procrastination isn’t just hateful, it’s downright harmful, people who procrastinate have higher levels of stress and lower level of well-being. It is the cause of our death and destruction and that our good is found in the present. Our life consists in today, in this present moment in which we are living. Putting off doing what we need to do today is the primary reason why we often do not profit from what is said and taught to us.

The second reason is spiritual avarice, which simply means that we do not put any acquired spiritual knowledge or devotion into practice.

Now let’s go back to the call of Prophet Isaiah: “Prepare the way, make straight the paths.”

How are we to prepare the way? Let’s look at the Gospel again, fill up the valleys, lower the mountains and hills. Our life too contains many hills, valleys and tortuous ways which can be put right only by penitence. Penitence fills up the valley of lukewarmness, fear, discouragement at the sight of our sins and tepidity and, lay low the mountains of pride. Fill up the valley; that is, fill your heart with confidence and hope. Exercise yourself in humility and confide yourself to the goodness of God. Lower the mountains and hills that is your presumptions and pride, which are great obstacles to Our Lord’s coming.

What is your life like? Are you morally congruent with your vocation? Or are you full of arrogance and presumption like the Pharisee in the Gospels, or are you like the humble publican? See the Gospel of Luke 18: 10-14; how God rejects the prideful Pharisee and honours the contrite and humble heart of the publican! We must make ready the ways, that is, repair those that are tortuous, make them straight and even.

We must correct all our perverse and devious intentions and have only one, that of pleasing God by doing penance. Educate and teach yourself how to do a proper penance, get a spiritual director to help you. Take your time to reflect upon the life of Our Blessed Lord and Saviour. Gaze at Him during Adoration and gain the brilliant light of His radiance into your soul, then, you can say, “I have prepared to the best of my ability, Come Lord Jesus!” Take God and His word seriously. Do It Now.