A voice cries in the wilderness

Second Sunday of Advent (B)

Christmas is in the air. Our attention is now firmly fixed on all that will involve our celebration of Christmas this year – and also, for most of us, the holidays that will follow it.

We are often asked the question: “what are you doing for Christmas this year?” And there are so many things.

We have our lists of things to be done in the coming weeks. Right now, two weeks out, we can have a minor panic attack when we think of all that we need to get in place for 24 December.

Such is our celebration of Christmas.

One thing that will receive some attention is preparing the house. Tidying up things for receiving our guests. The outside will get some attention.

The lawns will be cut and the garden tidied. We want things to look good. And of course, there will be the decorations and the Christmas lights.

On the matter of our house, let all our visitors know that we are a Catholic family. Give the crib a central place. Have angels and shepherds and not just Santa Claus.

Have Christmas carols joyously proclaim the birth of Christ and not just secular songs. Let us keep the spirit of faith alive in our homes.

Amidst all that we have on our agenda for Christmas, let us not forget our own personal spiritual preparation.

Each year on this second Sunday of Advent the Church presents us with John the Baptist. He is described as a “voice crying in the wilderness”. This is a very apt description of him and his message.

In a way we need to turn aside from all that commands our attention, all the hype and glitter, and listen out for another voice, one which is so different.

The voice says, “Prepare a way for the Lord”. The prophet, the strange ascetic dressed in camel hair and eating locusts and wild honey, is not from our usual acquaintances.

He is not like the smooth TV host. He is not even like a respectable religious figure. He is unusual and not a little off putting. We could easily ignore him as a crazy man, or dismiss him because he is not one of us.

His voice is singular. His message is not the usual message. What he is saying is jarring. It doesn’t easily fit with our focus and interests. His words make us somewhat uncomfortable.

We shuffle and look away, rather that gaze upon him. He pricks our conscience and we are a little restless.

The easiest thing would be to quickly pass on and give our attention to other more pressing and interesting things.

John the Baptist is an essential part of the Christmas story. Jesus, himself, spoke of him often and praised him. He had a role to play which was spoken of by the prophets.

They spoke of an Elijah figure coming to prepare the hearts of the people for the arrival of the Messiah.

John the Baptist knew this. He knew his role and purpose. His life’s purpose was to call the people to be ready. As we read today, “Someone is following me, someone who is more powerful that I am”.

In the midst of all our frantic efforts to be ready for Christmas there is a voice that cries out from the desert.

Will we heed him? Even, for a moment, stop and pay attention to him?

And what is he saying?

His message is simple: Are you ready to receive Jesus when he comes? Have you a place for him – in your heart, in your life? This means two things in particular.

One. In these short weeks before Christmas can we give more attention to prayer, directing our hearts more towards God?

Can we find time to draw aside into silence; to ponder the mysteries of God; to read some Sacred Scripture, perhaps those offered to us in the Sacred Liturgy? Can we find some time to prepare our hearts to welcome Christ afresh?

It will not be easy as this is such a busy time, but to truly celebrate Christmas our hearts need to more attuned to God. We need to find some space that Christ can truly come to us.

We sing, “O come, o come, Emmanuel”. We want Christ to come into our lives anew. He is the Saviour and we need him. Thus, we must prepare a place for him.

Two. John the Baptist called on people to confess their sins and show it by a washing the Jordan. Our washing is in the Sacrament of Reconciliation.

Let us purify our hearts and prepare them spiritually for Christmas by going to confession. As we are assiduous in preparing our homes to receive our Christmas guests, let us also be assiduous in preparing our hearts.  

This week, the second week of this short but beautiful liturgical season the Church places St John the Baptist before us.

He is a “voice cries in the wilderness”. His message is simple but readily applicable for each of us: “Prepare a way for the Lord”.

This Christmas let us hear his voice and heed his message.

Archbishop Julian Porteous

Sunday, 10 December 2023