Sunday, 8 December, the 2nd Sunday of Advent

Readings — Bar. 5:1-9; Ps. 126:1-2, 2-3, 4-5, 6; Phil. 1:4-6, 8-11; Lk. 3:1-6.

Sorry, friends, for this late sharing, but it is only 11:55 AM on Saturday here in Rome.

Some Notes on Advent —

1. The liturgical calendar of Advent focuses on the four Sundays leading up to Christmas. During the four weeks of Advent, we wait for the arrival of Jesus. For this year, the Advent Sundays are the following:

• First Sunday of Advent - 1 December, the start of Advent;

• Second Sunday of Advent - 8 December;

• Third Sunday of Advent - 15 December;

• Fourth Sunday of Advent - 22 December, Advent ends on Christmas Eve.

2. The word “Advent” is derived from the Latin word “adventus,” which means “coming” or “arrival” or “parousia” in Greek. During the 4th and 5th centuries in Spain and Gaul, Advent was a season of preparation for the baptism of new Christians on the January Feast of the Epiphany.

This Feast included the celebration of God’s Incarnation represented by the visit of the Magi (Mt. 2:1), the Baptism of Jesus in the river Jordan (Jn. 1:29), and his first miracle at Cana (Jn. 2:1). Christians would spend 40 days in penance, prayer, and fasting to prepare for the celebration.

3. Originally, there was little connection between Advent and Christmas. By the 6th century, however, Roman Christians had tied Advent to the coming of Christ as Judge at the end of time. It was not until the Middle Ages that the Advent season was explicitly linked to Christ’s 1st coming at Christmas. Thus, presently Advent looks back to the 1st coming of Christ and looks forward in eager anticipation to the coming of Christ’s kingdom when he returns for his people.

4. The Advent hymn, “O come, O come, Emmanuel,” represents our cry during the Advent season:

“O come, O come, Emmanuel, And ransom captive Israel, That mourns in lively exile here Until the Son of God appears. Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel shall come to thee, O Israel.”

While Israel would have sung the song in expectation of Christ’s first coming, we now sing the song to commemorate the 1st coming and expect the 2nd coming in the future. Thus, remembrance and anticipation. The first two Sundays of Advent look forward to Christ’s 2nd coming, while the last two Sundays look backward to remember Christ’s 1st coming. The Sunday Readings reflect this Advent anticipation and remembering.

5. Two devotional practices are popular in the Philippines:

• The Advent wreath;

• The Nativity scene, or Belen. The Advent wreath was first created by German Lutheran minister in 1839 as a pedagogical tool to teach children the meaning of Christmas. Eventually, the wreath was created out of evergreens, symbolizing everlasting life in the midst of winter and death. The circle reminds us of God’s unending love and the eternal life he makes possible.

6. The wreath has five candles. A candle is lit each Sunday. On the First Sunday, the Candle of Hope is lit. On the Second Sunday, the Candle of Peace. On the Third Sunday, the Candle of Joy. On the Fourth Sunday, the Candle of Love.

The 5th candle, placed in the middle of the wreath, is lit on Christmas Day.

7. 1st Reading, Bar. 5:1-9 — Baruch predicts the return of Israel from the Babylonian Exile. He addresses Jerusalem. “Jerusalem, take off your robe of mourning and misery; put on forever the splendor of glory from God” (v. 1). “Wrapped in the mantle of justice from God,” God “will show your splendor to all… you will be named by God forever, the peace of justice, the glory of God’s worship” (vv. 2-4). “Rise up, Jerusalem!” Look and see your children from east and west. They rejoice that God remembers them. They were led on foot by their enemies and left you” (vv. 5-6). “But God will bring them back” triumphantly. They will return and “advance securely in the glory of God…. with the mercy and justice that are his” (vv. 7-9).

8. 2nd Reading, Phil. 1:4-6, 8-11 — St. Paul writes to the Philippian community. “I give thanks to my God at every remembrance of you, remembering always with joy in my every prayer for all of you, because of your partnership for the gospel…” (vv. 3-5; see the activities of the Philippians for the Gospel, e.g., Phil. 1:29-30; 4:10-20). “I am confident that the one who began the good work in you will continue to complete it until the day of Christ Jesus” (v. 6). God is the witness of Paul’s longing for the Philippians “with the affection of Christ Jesus” (vv. 7-8). “And this is my prayer: that your love may increase ever more and more in knowledge and every kind of expression, to discern what is of value, so that you may be pure and blameless for the day of Christ, filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ for the glory and praise of God” (vv. 9-11). The Philippians’ devotion to faith and to Paul made them his pride and joy.

9. Gospel, Lk. 3:1-6 — Luke casts the call of John the Baptist in the form of an Old Testament prophetic call. “In the 15th year of the reign of Tiberius, when Pontius Pilate was governor of Judea, and Herod was tetrarch of Galilee … during the high priesthood of Annas and Caiaphas, the word of God came to John, the son of Zechariah in the desert” (vv. 1-2). He proclaimed a baptism of repentance throughout the Jordan region. “A voice crying out in the desert: Prepare the way of the Lord, make straight his paths.” The way will be made straight, smooth and level; “and all flesh shall see the salvation of God” (vv. 4-6; quotes from Is. 40:3, 4-5). The salvation by the coming Messiah will be universal.

10. Prayer — Merciful God, you sent your messengers, the prophets, to preach repentance and prepare the way for our salvation. Grant us the grace, merciful Lord, to heed their warnings and forsake our sins, that we may greet with joy the coming of Jesus Christ our Redeemer, who lives and reigns, now and for ever. Amen. (Today’s Collect).

Lord Jesus, come!

Prayers, best wishes, God bless!