“SEEDS OF LIFE”
Sunday, 4th December 2016.
Second Sunday of Advent
Isaiah 11:1-10;
Psalm 71:1-2, 7-8, 12-13, 17;
Romans 15:4-9;
Matthew 3:1-12.
PLAYING HIDE AND SEEK WITH GOD
On this, the Second Sunday of Advent, we are given the person of St. John the Baptist to ponder. What a gift he is! Jesus Himself stated that “among those born of women there has been none greater than John the Baptist” (Mt 11:11). What is it that made John so great? We can see two things in particular. The first, was his calling and the second was his virtue. John was great because he was the transition from the Old Testament Prophets to the New Testament. He was the bridge that prepared for the new life to come. His unique mission makes him truly great. But John was great not only because of his unique calling, he was also great because of the virtue he had in his life. And it is this gift that is worth pondering for our own inspiration more than any other. The particular virtue that John had was that of humility. He saw himself as nothing, for John acknowledged that he was not even worthy to stoop down and untie the sandal straps of Jesus (Mk 1:7). He continuously said of Jesus that “He must increase and I must decrease” (Jn 3:30). John was not in it for praise and honour; rather, his mission was to point everyone to the Savior of the world. John was willing to fulfill his mission and then submit himself to the cruel sword of his executioner. His humility was such that he was focused only on Jesus and desired only to point to Him.
Advent is a season of waiting for the return of the Lord, well the Lord too is waiting for our return. Our God loves us, his love makes him long for us, search for us. God went searching for Adam and Eve in the garden, when they were hiding from him, they hid after disobeying the will of God. So also we too hide from God when we live against his will. Sometimes we complain that God is hiding from us? That he is nowhere to be seen, when actually it is we who are hiding from Him? And then God asks a question: “Where are you?” It is He who begins the search us, out of His love for us. All through the Old Testament, he has been searching a human heart that could respond to his love. In today’s Gospel Jesus invites us to come out of our hiding and to walk with him. Are we willing to come out? Will we make efforts to overcome our sins and become the children of light?
Let us reflect, today, upon this humility in your own life. Do we tend to point to ourselves or to Christ? Do you seek the praise of others or do you humbly point all praise and glory to God? Humility is the path that St. John the Baptist took and it’s the path we must strive for each and every day. May we today become witnesses of humility and be on the straight path of the will of God. It is in our hearts that we need to make a straight highway for God. It is the valleys of sin in our own hearts that are to be filled with God’s mercy and healing and the mountains and hills of pride in our own hearts that are to become low. Christmas will lack its full meaning if we do not prepare in our own hearts a way for the Lord. During this season of Advent, let us ask ourselves: is sin of any kind, keeping us separated from God? Let us repent and renew our lives so that we are able to be found by our loving God.
Prayer: Thank You Lord for waiting and seeking me. I wish to remain in Your loving embrace for eternity. Lord, thank You for the gift of St. John the Baptist. May his witness of humility inspire me in my Christian walk. Help me, Lord, to always point others to You rather than to myself. Jesus, I trust in You. Amen