Second Sunday in Advent
"It was of him that the prophet Isaiah had spoken when he said: A voice of one crying out in the desert, Prepare the way of the Lord, make straight his paths. John wore clothing made of camel's hair and had a leather belt around his waist. His food was locusts and wild honey"(Mt. 3:1-12).
In this advent season in which the theme is faith, we can stand on our Christian faith to expect a better day of non-violence in our communities. The incarnate Christ child is coming to dwell within us with the newness of hope. In faith, just as John the Baptist in the desert living as an ascetic, we, even in our busy consumerist, capitalist society, can honor the contemplative practices of our ancestors. We, too, can take a leap of faith within to see relationships mended so Christ can come to dwell with us all.
The cooperations and elected officials who lean so heavily toward the second amendment are like the leaders in our scripture text for the second Sunday in Advent. These elected officials maintain that the human family is far from the love of God. They do nothing to preserve our faith tradition to prepare for God's love at Christmas. In other words, receiving Christ, our Advent, is welcoming and making room for love and mercy for one another. Do you see many officials displaying love and compassion? Therefore, to reflect on the beauty, power, and mystery of our faith in a living, breathing Savior is mindboggling. Knowing that Emmanual, God be with us, moves through our spirit, and that the Light of the World is coming to save us makes me shout, "AMEN!"
In this advent season, we must reflect on the richness of the Christian faith. It is beautiful to think and try to understand the power of the mystery of the Trinity. Contemplating how the human flesh and how we live, walk and embody Christ is a miracle. All the joys, pains, good, bad, and ugly that describe our society are blessings from God. It is a great assurance to know we have a God that will be with us all the time and dwells among us and in us, a living and breathing Savior. Thinking about our Lord's breathing leaves me in awe when reflecting that we have a God that would create the world and all of its inhabitants, plant life, water life, animal life, and humanity, by speaking a word. That same God knows and loves each of us dearly because that same God created us. As we count down to Christmas, when God will be among us, we can think of the awesomeness of God's availability to us through the Trinity.
Come, Lord Jesus.
Author: Patrick Barnes, BS, Animal Science North Carolina A and T, 2008, Dvm 20012 Tuskegee School of Vet Med, Howard University School of Divinity 2023 Master of Divinity, Xavier of New Orleans Master of Theology, 2024. Parish: Church of Incarnation, Washington, D.C.