We spoke last week of John the Baptist crying out in the desert: PREPARE THE WAY OF THE LORD! MAKE STRAIGHT THE PATHS that will lead us to him and him to us! We also said that those who are on the high mountains of their own self-importance ought to "come down" to the flat-plain to meet "face-to-face and eye-to-eye" the One who rules over them; and the ones who are sunk low in the valley of poverty and humiliation ought to "come up" to level ground to meet "straightaway" the One who promised to come to them to be their redeemer. In short: all ought to prepare themselves to meet their SAVIOR!
The gospel passage today tells us more about this Savior, this Messiah, this LIGHT who has come into the world so that people could find their way home to God the Father!
Now, John the Baptist was so charismatic that people thought he might be the long-awaited Savior, Messiah, LIGHT! But John tells those who inquire: "NO! I am NOT the Light! But I CAN testify that the Light is among you and that he will do amazing and powerful things to bring about your salvation – (which will include a spectacular show of Light on the Morning of the Resurrection)! My "baptism" is only a preparatory kind of ceremony to clear the mind and heart internally to receive the Messiah when at last he will make himself known! When he does come, it would behoove you all to pay very close and strict attention to him! THE LIGHT OF HIS LIFE WILL CHANGE THE WORLD FOREVER!
As was prophesied in Isaiah in the first reading today: LIGHT will mean: glad tidings preached to the poor, healing for the brokenhearted, liberty for captives, release for prisoners! LIGHT will mean that a time of REJOICING has come! [REJOICING IS THE THEME OF THIS THIRD WEEK OF ADVENT!]
As St. Paul says to the Thessalonians today: with rejoicing always in your hearts may you pray without ceasing: in all circumstances giving thanks to God, not quenching the Spirit, so that you may both receive the Light of Christ more fully this day and every day, and be more willing to share that Light with others: as your hearts are enflamed with the same Light in your reception of Holy Communion!
[I wrote this part of the homily before the ice storm:]
No one need live in darkness anymore – God the Father sent the LIGHT, his Son; and his Son sent us – to make a difference in the world around us! May we be that LIGHT, that difference, always!
[Now having experienced the ice storm I can say that it is a perfect example of what I am saying today: those living in spiritual cold and darkness are there by their own choice: and what is still seen on the news reports about the ice storm is symbolic of what insisting to live away from the Light of Christ can be like! But it need not be that way: come fully near the warmth and the experience of Christ our Light – and bring others with you!]
Our souls rejoice in our God!
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