Homily (Reflection) for the Second
Sunday of Advent (C) (09th December, 2018) on the Gospel and the Season
Baruch
5:1-9;Ps 125 (R.V. 3);
Phil 1:3-6.8-11;
Lk 3:1-6.
Rabbi Eleazar declared: “Repent one
day before your death.” And his disciples who heard him asked: “How does one
know which day that it is?” “Exactly,” answered the sage, for that reason we
ought to live every day as though it were our last.”[i]
Topic: Forgiveness of sins.
Last Sunday, we reflected on
preparing for Christ in threefold because He was, He is and He is to come. In today’s
gospel, Saint John the Baptist went into all the region around the Jordan and
proclaimed a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins, cf. Lk 3:3.
We know that for some, it is useless reflecting
on the forgiveness of sins because they stopped sinning when they become born-again.
And for some, although one can sin but why confess to fellow human beings
(priests)? There are other obstacles but in this homily our focus is on why
confessing to priests. The issue of being sinners or not among others will be
subject of another day.
Remember when a paralyzed man was
brought to Jesus and He said to him: “Son, your sins are forgiven” (Mk 2:5; cf. Lk 5:20) the scribes termed the statement blasphemous because it is
God alone who can forgive sins, cf. Mk
2:6-7. And they are correct in saying that it is God alone who can forgive
sins, cf. Ps 32:5; Is 45:25; Jer 31:34.
33:8; Mic 7:19. We often miss a very important point – ‘who is Jesus Christ?’
Jesus tells us who He is: “I and the Father are one” (Jn 10:30; cf. Jn 1:1; 1Jn 4:10). So Jesus forgives sins
because He is God but the scribes among others did not know this fact.
On the other hand, we read that when
Christ appeared to his disciples He breathed on them and said to them: “Receive
the Holy Spirit. If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven them; if you
retain the sins of any, they are retained” (Jn 20:22b-23). And Jesus unequivocally told us that He sends His
priests into the world just as He was sent by the Father, cf. Jn 20:21. Based on these among others we
uphold that God forgives sins through His priests. But just as the scribes did
not understand who Jesus Christ is many do not understand who is a priest,
another Christ.
So my dear brothers and sisters as we
prepare for Christ, the gospel tells us that Saint John the Baptist’s
proclamation is the fulfilment of the prophesy of Isaiah:
The voice of one crying out in the wilderness:
‘Prepare the way of the Lord, make his paths straight. Every valley shall be
filled, and every mountain and hill shall be made low, and the crooked shall be
made straight, and rough ways made smooth; and all flesh shall see the
salvation of God (Lk 3:4-6; cf. Is 40:3-5).
In preparation for Jesus Christ, we
must be watchful as the gospel tells us of both the things we overdid and the
things we did not do enough - valley on one side and mountain and hill on the
other; crooked ways to be straightened and rough ways smoothened.
The Psalmist rightly wrote: “I
acknowledged my sin to thee, and I did not hide my iniquity; I said, ‘I will
confess my transgressions to the LORD’; then thou didst forgive the guilt of my
sin” (Ps 32:5). And in his first
letter Saint John wrote: “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just, and
will forgive our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness” (1Jn 1:9).
My dear brothers and sisters, what
are you waiting for? Remember that by Christ’s wounds we are healed, cf. 1Pt 2:24. The letter to the Hebrews
tells us to: “... exhort one another every day, as long as it is called ‘today,’
that none of you may be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin” (Heb 3:13). So let us acknowledge our
sins, mend our ways and confess our sins so that He who is faithful will
forgive us. We ought to live every day as though it were our last as the sage
declared in our introductory story. Confess to God through His instruments (priests)
and you shall be healed.
Bible Readings: Heb 3:6-19; Jn 20:19-23; 1Pt 4:1-11.
Silent Prayer:
Are you ready to confess your sins?
Let us pray: Lord, help us to be always ready for
you – Amen.
You
are free to share this reflection with others if you consider it worthy.
For
more homilies (reflections):
Join our WhatsApp Group via: +234 810 298 6313
To
Contact and/or to support this ministry:
Tel: +234 813 305 0302
May God bless you all+
[i] Sagayanathan, A. (2009). Launching Pad: Stories for Sunday
Homilies, year A,B,&C. Bangalore: Asian Trading Corporation, p. 233.
Post a Comment
Post a Comment