Advent IV

 
 
Rejoice in the Lord always, and again I say, Rejoice.
 
On the last Sunday in Advent, you and I are called to come to know the Word made flesh and to Rejoice. Our recognition of Jesus Christ, the Word made Flesh, and our rejoicing are gifts coming to us from the heart of John the Baptist. Today John the Baptist prepares us for Christ’s coming into his Body, the Church, and especially for His first coming, which we remember on Christmas Day. We are called to discover the character that both knows Jesus Christ as the Word and Wisdom of God made flesh and to rejoice in Him.
           
But first, in today’s Gospel, John the Baptist teaches us to know ourselves and our need for Jesus Christ. The Jews sent Priests and Levites from Jerusalem to ask him, “Who art thou? And he confessed, and denied not; but confessed, I am not the Christ. John the Baptist never pretended to be Christ. He confesses that he is not even Elijah the prophet. Malachi had foretold that Elijah would come before the Second Coming of the Lord. Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the LORD. (Mal. iv. 5)  But the Angel Gabriel insists that it is John who shall go before [Jesus Christ] in the spirit and power of Elijah (Lk. i. 17). Both are messengers and forerunners who prepare us for Christ’s coming. John prepares for the first coming, and Elijah for the second. John shares with Elijah the vocation of precursor and preparer. John Baptist says, I am the voice of one crying in the wilderness, Make straight the way of the Lord, as said the prophet Isaiah. (St. John i. 23) John has come to prepare the Jewish people for the coming of the Lord. His preparation begins with a confession of who he is truly. He calls us too to know ourselves as those who need always make straight the way of the Lord. (Idem)

John comes and teaches us to repent before welcoming Christ’s coming. Repent ye, for the kingdom of God is at Hand. (Matt. iii. 2) We must repent because we must remember that we are always sinners in need of the Saviour. Because our righteousness is always mixed with sin, we must make repentance an habitual part of our spiritual lives. But repentance is only a beginning. Repentance prepares us for the salvation that Jesus Christ alone can bring into our lives. John tells us: I baptize with water: but there standeth one among you, whom ye know not: he it is who coming after me is preferred before me, whose shoe's latchet I am not worthy to unloose. (St. John i. 26) From the depths of John’s heart we come to know that our repentance must empty us of ourselves, making within our souls a spiritual place that welcomes Christ’s coming. John has a baptism with water for repentance, but Christ shall baptize…with the Holy Ghost. (St. Mark i. 8) John’s baptism will cleanse us outwardly, and Christ’s baptism will purify us inwardly.
           
With John the Baptist, you and I must move out of the world and into the soul. We are too much at home in this world. John comes to teach us that this is not our home. Christians ought to know that this world is a place of passage and pilgrimage, from wilderness and exile to the true homeland and City of our God. Like John the Baptist, you and I must come to know ourselves and confess our sins. With the Baptist, we must learn that if left to our own devices, we shall be consumed with ourselves, forget who we are and what we need, and, thus, be ripe for Hell. 

We live in a time when the human heart seems so far removed from any need to seek out and find God. We live in a world whose idolatry hides us from the knowledge of God. John the Baptist, bearing the spirit of Elijah, calls us away from our idolatry. Anything that claims our time, attention, and money more than God is an idol. Anything that consumes, owns, and possesses us more than God is an idol. The idol is a false god. False gods come in many forms. It might be our bodily health. We spend so much time going to doctors but not to our pastors and priests for help with our souls. It might be earthly riches. We are unhinged daily by the stock markets’ irrational insecurity. Why don’t we focus on the riches and treasures of Heaven? To my knowledge, we can’t take earthly riches with us. If we think that we can, we are sure to go to Hell. An idol or false god stands between us and salvation. Our idol worship might even turn others off from God. Why? They will see that our religion is vain and fraudulent. Ye cannot serve God and mammon. (Matthew vi 24)

John Baptist comes to help us abandon our false gods. He proclaims, Bear fruits that befit repentance, for even now the axe is laid to the root of the trees; every tree therefore that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. (St. Matthew iii. 8, 10) With John’s contemporaries, we might ask, What then shall we do? John the Baptist tells us not only to repent but to purge. He who has two coats, let him share with him who has none; and he who has food, let him do likewise. (St. Luke iii 11) He tells us to be content with less in earthly terms as we pursue more in spiritual terms. Collect no more than is appointed you. (Ibid, 12) John wants us to focus on Christ’s coming and what it must mean for us if we hope to be saved. He who is coming after me is mightier than me, whose sandals I am not worthy to carry; He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire. (Ibid, 14-16) This is serious business. We are made to be redeemed by God’s Spirit of fire, a spiritual fire that will slowly but surely burn off our desire for earthly things and our passions that depend so uncertainly on other people and worldly relationships.

The outside world and our dependence on it could land us in Hell. With John, let us prepare for the Lord’s coming with repentance and otherworldly generosity. St. Paul, another messenger, says let your moderation be known unto all men. For the Lord is at hand. (Phil. iv. 5) He warns us to be careful for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. (Phil. iv. 6) The Virgin Mother of our Lord reminds us: The rich he hath sent empty away. (St. Luke i. 53) Moderation is a virtue that tempers our selfish addiction to our own riches and encourages generosity. John and Paul want us to know that Christ’s coming brings bountiful grace and mercy to speedily help and deliver us (Collect, Advent IV) from false gods.
           
John also exhorts us to mourning. We must mourn over our sins and how we have hurt others and ourselves by turning away from Christ. We must pray for the gift of tears. St. John Chrysostom reminds us that our physical tears begin to heal those who grieve. Our spiritual tears begin to cleanse us from sin. The water with which John baptizes penitents symbolizes the tears that purify the soul that awaits the coming of Christ. The tears that unceasing prayer offers…are resurrectional. (Philokalia) Blessed are they that mourn, for they shall be comforted. (St. Matthew v 4)
We weep so that we might rejoice. Our preparation for the coming of Christ, heralded by St. John the Baptist, intends to make us new and ripe for rejoicing in Christ’s Holy Incarnation. St. Paul says today, Rejoice in the Lord always and again I say Rejoice. (Phil. iv. 4) We must rejoice in Jesus Christ’s coming to the soul. John’s cry for confession, contrition, and compunction prepares us to be filled with the salvation that Christ’s birth brings. Sorrow must yield to joy. When joy defines our lives, we shall have perfect confidence and hope in Christ’s coming. Today, Christ promises to infuse us with His presence to deepen and perfect our belief and hope that the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand. And, in closing, let us remember with Austin Farrer that
We cannot come to God, He is beyond our reach; but He can come to us, for we are not beneath His mercy.
 
Amen.
 
©wjsmartin