II SUNDAY OF ADVENT
THE GREAT PROMISE OF SALVATION
By our Pastor, Fr. Carmelo Jiménez
The Second Sunday of Advent is known for its central figure: John the Baptist, who announces the coming of the kingdom of God. John the Baptist prepares the way for the coming of the Messiah. Reading the first reading of the prophet Isaiah and the gospel passage from Matthew, we could call this Sunday the Sunday of the Promise.
“On that day, a shoot shall sprout from the stump of Jesse, and from his roots a bud shall blossom. The spirit of the LORD shall rest upon him.” (Is 11:1-2a) The shoot will sprout from the stump which is still alive in its roots. These words of the prophet are pronounced after the fall of Jerusalem. David’s monarchy has disappeared, the people of Israel have been dispersed. That is why this message emerges from a deep desire for a total restoration and it will nourish the hope of those who have returned. The faithfulness of God is unbreakable. The prophet Isaiah is also the one, affirmed by Jeremiah and Ezequiel, that says: “For a child is born to us, a son is given to us.” (Is 9:5a) In this child of the promise, the Holy Spirit will come down upon him and he will be the Prince of Peace, Wonder-Counselor, God with Us. This stump of Jesse will blossom despite all of the human resistance. He will bring about his plan and no one will be able to impede it. Even today, this plan of salvation continues because it is God’s plan.
The gospel passage is a cry and an urgent call to change because the kingdom of God is at hand. To express this hope, Saint Matthew takes the words of the prophet Isaiah, from chapter 40 to be precise: “Prepare the way of the Lord, make straight his paths.” There is a very close relationship between the 40th chapter of the prophet Isaiah and John the Baptist. The prophet announces the message and John the Baptist announces the conversion that the prophet announced.
Who is John the Baptist? The figure of John the Baptist is the precursor, the messenger of the one who comes after him who will baptize with Spirit and fire. All of the expressions have the same orientation: the fulfillment of a time and a promise that were announced for the messianic time. The two words Spirit and fire only make enough sense if we interpret them in a messianic way. The Church cannot and should not ever forget that our only Savior is Jesus. No one besides Jesus can save us. Only through him, God grants humanity salvation.
“At that time Jerusalem, all Judea, and the whole region around the Jordan were going out to him and were being baptized by him in the Jordan River as they acknowledged their sins.” (Mt 3:5-6) John the Baptist understood and announced that the sovereignty of God will only be possible in those who receive him as a gift and respond with a radical change in their attitudes toward life and others. This message is needed for our times because many of us want religion on our own terms. We believe in Jesus and that is enough! This is what many people and even many churches proclaim. But if we don’t change our attitudes and if we don’t align our life with the life of Christ, then in vain do we say we believe.
Again I say, even today, the plan of salvation continues because it is God’s plan. In our time as well this plan needs to give us hope but also make us feel uncomfortable when faced with so many situations of evil and anguish. Hope is always possible because God is working on his plan for the good of man. Brothers and sisters let us open our hearts to receive the Messiah, our redeemer, our only savior: Christ Jesus. Amen.