Second Sunday in Advent: Reflection with Canon Robin Gibbons

Chartres Portail Central Tympan

December 10th 2023

Let's take a pause from the relentless cycle of negative news around us, not to forget it, for how can one forget the people of Gaza or those caught up in violence or the unexpected natural disasters? Rather to take a moment by ourselves, in order to get our balance back, pause, reflect, and see just where we are on our Advent journey? I found a signpost for myself at the end of this Sundays Gospel, when Mark reports John the Baptist's comment concerning the Christ : "I have baptized you with water; he will baptize you with the holy Spirit." (Mk 1:8) It is a reminder that I have something precious, which I often treat lightly and at times forget. I bear the imprint of the Holy One in me as you all do, through my Baptism into Christ's risen life, and as you have, been indelibly marked with the seal of the Holy Spirit at my confirmation! It is important we take time to remind ourselves of such things, make a small act of reaffirmation about our Catholic-Christian faith and in our hearts ask the Christ to continue to accompany us in life and to allow us to become, as John, as Isaiah, good prophets of love especially for the young of our world.

The twofold theme of this liturgical season is that of looking forward, in joyful anticipation of the great feasts of the Nativity season, but also in a more contemplative way to Christ final coming at a time and moment as yet uncertain, but ever present. Each time we pray, call to mind the Lord, assemble for Liturgy or even without much thought show care and love to Him in the least of our sisters and brothers, he has promised us to be there, with us to the end of time . Where we are with Him, so too is the hidden Kingdom made present

That is why this future coming should not cause us anxiety, in fact each time we go to Mass that prayer of release from fear is part of our preparation for communion when the priest says this prayer after we have all prayed the Our Father : "Deliver us, Lord, we pray, from every evil, graciously grant peace in our days, that, by the help of your mercy, we may be always free from sin and safe from all distress, as we await the blessed hope and the coming of our Saviour, Jesus Christ". It is a rather beautiful prayer and worth our while to use at home, for it encapsulated this second theme of Advent, hoping, waiting, and constantly preparing for Christ now and on the final day!

All these things mentioned in that prayer are where a new energy comes from, Christ's first coming amongst us is not simply history, but the story of salvation, by entering human life, casting his lot amongst us, Jesus the Christ has bound us completely, both us humans, and all living creatures, into the Kingdom to come, but already amongst us. If we are to be anxious let it be that mercy and forgiveness come on us, that the many dark deeds we have done individually and collectively may be forgiven and we try better. More than that , might we not also become the small prophets of our age, calling others to know the good news of salvation, helping them hear, see and taste the salvation offered not by us but by God. If you feel daunted by this task, please don't, place your trust and hope in the promises of Christ and that gift of the Spirit present at all times and in all places. Maybe these words from our second reading might both make us alert and also enable us to hold tighter to our faith:

"But do not ignore this one fact, beloved, that with the Lord one day is like a thousand years* and a thousand years like one day.The Lord does not delay his promise, as some regard "delay," but he is patient with you, not wishing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance."

(2Pt3:8,9)

This coming to repentance is an essential feature of our journey, oe we are invited to time and time again. For us in the Catholic Church in its different parts East and West, country and nation, the sacraments offer us a tangible moment for that forgiveness, but redemption comes too with a merciful heart, open to others, perhaps at this moment of reflection let the words of the Prophet Isaiah console us, when he proclaims for the Lord :

"Comfort, give comfort to my people,

says your God.

Speak to the heart of Jerusalem, and proclaim to her

that her service* has ended,

that her guilt is expiated". (Is 40:1,2) Hold fast to these words, for they are the words of salvation!

Lectio

Poetry of Isaiah

Isaiah 40:31 King James Version (KJV)

"But they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint."

Isaiah 2 1-5

The Mountain of the Lord

This is what Isaiah son of Amoz saw concerning Judah and Jerusalem:

In the last days

the mountain of the Lord's temple will be established
as the highest of the mountains;
it will be exalted above the hills,
and all nations will stream to it.

Many peoples will come and say,

"Come, let us go up to the mountain of the Lord,
to the temple of the God of Jacob.
He will teach us his ways,
so that we may walk in his paths."
The law will go out from Zion,
the word of the Lord from Jerusalem.

He will judge between the nations
and will settle disputes for many peoples.
They will beat their swords into plowshares
and their spears into pruning hooks.
Nation will not take up sword against nation,
nor will they train for war anymore.

Come, descendants of Jacob,
let us walk in the light of the Lord.

Isaiah 2:10-21 New King James Version (NKJV)

Enter into the rock, and hide in the dust, From the terror of the LORD And the glory of His majesty. The lofty looks of man shall be humbled, The haughtiness of men shall be bowed down, And the LORD alone shall be exalted in that day. For the day of the LORD of hosts Shall come upon everything proud and lofty, Upon everything lifted up- And it shall be brought low- Upon all the cedars of Lebanon that are high and lifted up, And upon all the oaks of Bashan; Upon all the high mountains, And upon all the hills that are lifted up; Upon every high tower, And upon every fortified wall; Upon all the ships of Tarshish, And upon all the beautiful sloops. The loftiness of man shall be bowed down, And the haughtiness of men shall be brought low; The LORD alone will be exalted in that day, But the idols He shall utterly abolish. They shall go into the holes of the rocks, And into the caves of the earth, From the terror of the LORD And the glory of His majesty, When He arises to shake the earth mightily. In that day a man will cast away his idols of silver And his idols of gold, Which they made, each for himself to worship, To the moles and bats, To go into the clefts of the rocks, And into the crags of the rugged rocks, From the terror of the LORD And the glory of His majesty, When He arises to shake the earth mightily.

Thomas Merton's Poem

"Advent

Charm with your stainlessness these
winter nights,
Skies, and be perfect! Fly, vivider in the fiery dark,
you quiet meteors,
And disappear.
You moon, be slow to go down,
This is your full!

The four white roads make off in silence
Towards the four parts of the starry universe.
Time falls like manna at the corners of the
wintry earth.
We have become more humble than the rocks,
More wakeful than the patient hills.

Charm with your stainlessness these nights in
Advent,
holy spheres,
While minds, as meek as beasts,
Stay close at home in the sweet hay;
And intellects are quieter than the flocks that feed
by starlight.

Oh pour your darkness and your brightness over
all our
solemn valleys,
You skies: and travel like the gentle Virgin,
Toward the planets' stately setting,

Oh white full moon as quiet as Bethlehem!"

From the Collected Poems of Thomas Merton