Advent Sunday II

"He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire"

Introduction:

Years ago, I read a cute story that fits well with this week's Advent theme.

"The Cardinal was approached one day in the cathedral by a very excited young curate.  'Your eminence' he cried, 'a woman claims to have just seen a vision of the Savior in the chapel behind the main altar. What should we do?''Look busy,' the Cardinal told him, 'Look busy!'"

Advent is a season of preparation that reminds us when looking at Jesus' first appearance  that he will appear again. Advent should call us to repent of our attitude of indifference and slothfulness regarding the Lord, and call us from inaction to action. The weeks of Advent provide an opportunity for us to prepare our hearts not only to celebrate the Lord's incarnation but to allow the Lord to be re-birthed in our heart. This week's Gospel reading provides insight as to how we can do that.

John the Baptist came ahead of Jesus' public ministry proclaiming, "prepare the way of the Lord." That preparation consisted of confession of their sins and presenting themselves for baptism by John as a sign of their repentance. Now as Catholics we have already been baptized, and confession is a normal part of our spirituality, so what is the meaning and application of this passage for us?

Perhaps the meaning and application can be better understood by way of contrast-looking at what it doesn't mean. The Pharisees and Saducees also presented themselves to John for baptism, and he rebuked them. So we know right off that it is not a matter of simply practicing some meaningless religious observance to make oneself feel better. In no mistaken terms John pointed out that preparing the way of the Lord entailed an inner conversion of attitudes and mind-set. People went to John to be baptized because they recognized that their sinful attitudes and mind-set governed their behavior. Also that their behavior was abhorrent to the Lord, and that by repenting of these things  they welcomed the Lord's impending appearance and stood ready to receive him and  be received by him.

So as Catholics, Advent preparation gives us the opportunity not to be re-baptized, but to prepare the way for the Lord by renewing and making present again our baptismal
vows. This is especially true if you were baptized as an infant for you do not remember the vows that were made at your baptism. So Advent can enable you to step backward once again into your baptism and make the baptismal vows your personal statement of faith. The confession with which we are concerned is not simply the important daily or weekly confession that we make for current sins we commit, but it is a reflection on, and rejection of the root causes of the sin in our life. Advent can be a time in which we once again renounce Satan and all of his works, making a clean break with sin. It can  be a time when we renew and restate our love for Jesus and our intention to be his follower in attitude, mind-set, and behavior.

This kind of Advent preparation opens wide the doors of our lives to receive Jesus afresh and to welcome him back into the center of our everyday existence. It enables
self to consciously step down from the position of self-rule, and surrender the throne of our life to the one person who can rule with righteousness, wisdom, and faithfulness
as Isaiah speaks of in the first reading. But it must be more than another Christmas gift that we shove under the bed two weeks after Christmas, and forget about. It cannot be simply looking busy it must be a real inner change, a matter of being.

First Reading
Isaiah 11:1-10

1 There shall come forth a shoot from the stump of Jesse, and a branch shall grow out of his roots.
2 And the Spirit of the LORD shall rest upon him, the spirit of wisdom and understanding, the    spirit of counsel and might, the spirit of knowledge and the fear of the LORD.
3 And his delight shall be in the fear of the LORD.  He shall not judge by what his eyes see,    or decide by what his ears hear;
4 but with righteousness he shall judge the poor, and decide with equity for the meek of the earth; and he shall smite the earth with the rod of his mouth, and with the breath of his lips he shall slay the wicked.
5 Righteousness shall be the girdle of his waist, and faithfulness the girdle of his loins.
6 The wolf shall dwell with the lamb, and the leopard shall lie down with the kid, and the calf and the lion and the fatling together, and a little child shall lead them.
7 The cow and the bear shall feed; their young shall lie down together; and the lion shall eat straw like the ox.
8 The sucking child shall play over the hole of the asp, and the weaned child shall put his hand on the adder's den.
9 They shall not hurt or destroy in all my holy mountain; for the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the LORD as the waters cover the sea.
10 In that day the root of Jesse shall stand as an ensign to the peoples; him shall the nations seek, and his dwellings shall be glorious.

Second Reading
Romans 15:4-9

4 For whatever was written in former days was written for our instruction, that by steadfastness and by the encouragement of the scriptures we might have hope.
5 May the God of steadfastness and encouragement grant you to live in such harmony with one another, in accord with Christ Jesus,
6 that together you may with one voice glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.
7 Welcome one another, therefore, as Christ has welcomed you, for the glory of God.
8 For I tell you that Christ became a servant to the circumcised to show God's truthfulness, in order to confirm the promises given to the patriarchs,
9 and in order that the Gentiles might glorify God for his mercy.  As it is written,"Therefore I will praise thee among the Gentiles,and sing to thy name"

Gospel Reading
Matthew 3:1-12

1   In those days John the Baptist appeared, preaching in the desert of Judea
2   (and) saying, "Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand!"
3   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.'"
4   John wore clothing made of camel's hair and had a leather belt around his waist. His food was locusts and wild honey.
5  At that time Jerusalem, all Judea, and the whole region around the Jordan were going out to him
6   and were being baptized by him in the Jordan River as they acknowledged their sins.
7   When he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees coming to his baptism, he said to them, "You brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the coming wrath?
8   Produce good fruit as evidence of your repentance.
9   And do not presume to say to yourselves, 'We have Abraham as our father.' For I tell you, God can raise up children to Abraham from these stones.
10 Even now the ax lies at the root of the trees. Therefore every tree that does not bear good fruit will be cut down and thrown into the fire.
11 I am baptizing you with water, for repentance, but the one who is coming after me is mightier than I. I am not worthy to carry his sandals. He will baptize you with the holy Spirit and fire.
12 His winnowing fan is in his hand. He will clear his threshing floor and gather his wheat into his barn, but the chaff he will burn with unquenchable fire."

Bible Study

1 In those days John the Baptist appeared,
   ----Jesus' cousin, many think he was an Essene. John the Baptist is also known from extra-biblical sources as a preacher of repentance (such as Josephus' Antiquities of the Jews 18.5.2§116-119).

1a preaching in the desert of Judea
    ----The steep slope that falls from the central ridge of the country to the valley of the Jordan and the Dead Sea. Baptism in the Jordan indicates that John preached near the river, probably not far from Jericho. This is only a few miles distant from Qumran (where the Essenes are believed to be from and where the Dead Sea Scrolls were found). Josephus (Wars of the Jews 2.8.2-14§119-166) called the Essenes one of three philosophical sects of Jews, the other two being the Pharisees and Sadducees. The Essenes led a very austere life; they practiced celibacy, lived a common life, and held their possessions in common. Their normal garb was white, symbolizing the purity of morals which they cultivated. Even though they were Jews, they did not participate in the blood Temple sacrifices, but did send offerings to the Temple for unbloody sacrifices.

2 (and) saying, "Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand!"
   ----This summary of John's preaching is identical with the proclamation of Jesus in Matthew 4:17 (3rd Sunday in Ordinary Time, Bible Study - Cycle A). John is calling for a change of heart and conduct, a turning of one's life from rebellion to obedience toward God. The expression "kingdom of heaven" occurs only in Matthew and it means "kingdom of God". The expectation, found in Jewish apocalyptic writings, was that the kingdom was to be ushered in by a judgement in which sinners would be condemned and perish; an expectation which is apparently shared by John the Baptist.

3 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.'"
   ----Isaiah 40:3 is quoted.

4 John wore clothing made of camel's hair and had a leather belt around his waist.
   ----The uniform of a prophet, especially Elijah (Zechariah 13:4, 2 Kings 1:8). The expectation of the return of Elijah from heaven to prepare Israel for the final manifestation of God's kingdom was widespread. According to Jesus, this expectation was fulfilled in John the Baptist (Matthew 11:14; 17:11-13).

4a His food was locusts and wild honey.
     -----Wild food, the food of a nomad. The locust has been interpreted by some to be the fruit of the carob tree, and wild honey has also been interpreted by some to be the sweet substance secreted by insects on the local shrubs (we will hear of this more when we study about the manna in another lesson); it is hard to conceive of wild bees in the desert. During the Advent liturgy, John is placed before us as a model of mortification and penance. Just as John's mission was to prepare the way for Jesus, a Christian's entire life is a preparation for his meeting with Christ. Mortification and penance play a significant part in John's life as they should in our own.

5 At that time Jerusalem, all Judea, and the whole region around the Jordan were going out to him
   ----Quite a large following.

6 and were being baptized by him in the Jordan River
   -----The Greek word baptizein means to dip or immerse ceremonially, perhaps also to pour. Here, baptism is a religious rite of cleansing or purification. Priests washed before performing sacred rites, Jews washed before entering the Temple and before eating. What is unique here is that the washing is not done by the penitent, but by John himself.

6a as they acknowledged their sins.
    -----A sense of moral guilt is widespread, as is the need to confess. It is not clear how the confession was done here, but it might be helpful to think of the Day of Atonement when general laments of broken promises occur. John's baptism of repentance did not have the power to cleanse the soul from sin as Christian baptism does.

7 When he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees coming to his baptism,
    ----The Pharisees were the most important religious group in Jesus' time. They kept the law of Moses rigorously and also the oral traditions which had built up around it. They gave as much importance to the traditions as they did to the law itself. They strongly opposed the influence of Greek paganism and totally rejected the homage paid to the Roman emperor. Among them there were men of great spiritual eminence and sincere piety; but there were many others who exaggerated pharisaical religiosity to the extreme of fanaticism, pride and hypocrisy. It was this perversion of the true Israelite religion that John the Baptist (and later our Lord) castigated. The scribes, experts in the Law, predominantly belonged to this group.
The Sadducees, on the other hand, were a smaller religious group than the Pharisees, but they included many influential people, most of them from the main priestly families. They accepted as Scripture only the written Law, the first five books of the Old Testament but, unlike the Pharisees, they rejected oral tradition and were opposed to teachings not found in the Pentateuch. As a result, they rejected certain important truths, such as the resurrection of the dead. [They were the biblical fundamentalists of their day.] They went along easily with the terms dictated by the Romans, and they acquiesced in the introduction of pagan customs into the country. Their opposition to Christ was even more pronounced than that of the Pharisees.

7b  he said to them, "You brood of vipers!
     ----Jesus uses these same words to address the Pharisees in Matthew 12:34.

7c Who warned you to flee from the coming wrath?
     -----Although the basic idea is as old as the prophets, there is a new note of urgency in the call to repentance; the judgement of God is close.

8 Produce good fruit as evidence of your repentance.
   ----Good works that go beyond the good intentions of repentance is what he is asking for; a follow-through of their intentions.

9 And do not presume to say to yourselves, 'We have Abraham as our father.'
   -----Salvation is not hereditary. This hints at a basic theme of Matthew: Gentiles can be saved (Amos 3:2). God does not show ethnic or social partiality (Deuteronomy 1:17; 16:19; 2 Chronicles 19:17; Acts 10:34; Romans 2:11; Galatians 2:6; Ephesians 6:4; Colossians 3:25).

9b For I tell you, God can raise up children to Abraham from these stones.
     -----This alludes to the rejection of the Messiah by the Jews and His acceptance by the Gentiles: The Church of Jews and Gentiles is the new Israel and the true people of God.

10 Even now the ax lies at the root of the trees.
     ----The situation is urgent.

10b Therefore every tree that does not bear good fruit will be cut down and thrown into the fire.
11 I am baptizing you with water, for repentance,
     ----John refers back to his address to the Pharisees and Sadducees (v8) "Give some evidence that you mean to reform". They must change their behavior to reflect their faith.

11b but the one who is coming after me is mightier than I. I am not worthy to carry his sandals.
       -----Matthew differs from the other gospels and Acts 13:25 by "carrying" rather than "untying". This might reflect a rabbinic teaching that a disciple should do for his teacher anything a slave would do except take off his shoes.

11c He will baptize you with the holy Spirit and fire.
       -----John the Baptist did not limit himself to preaching penance and repentance; he encouraged people to receive his baptism. This baptism was a way of interiorly preparing them and helping them to realize that the coming of Christ was imminent. By his words of encouragement and by their humble recognition of their sins, they were prepared to receive Christ's grace through baptism with fire and the Holy Spirit. The word "fire" points in a metaphorical way to the effectiveness of the Holy Spirit's action in totally wiping out sins. It also shows the life-giving power of grace in the person baptized. "Fire" can also point to the judgement of God Himself (1 Corinthians 3:10-15) as well as the descent of the Holy Spirit on Pentecost (Acts 2:34).

12 His winnowing fan is in his hand.
     -----A winnowing fan is a forklike shovel used to separate the wheat from the chaff - the useful from the useless. The threshed wheat was thrown into the air and the kernels fell to the ground to be gathered for storage while the chaff, blown off by the wind, was later swept up and burned.

12b He will clear his threshing floor and gather his wheat into his barn, but the chaff he will burn with unquenchable fire."
       ------This refers not only to bad deeds, it also refers to useless ones. For example, lives lacking in service to God and men. God will judge us for our omissions and lost opportunities. The "unquenchable fire" is the destroying fire of Gehenna.

Foremost among the personal qualities of John the Baptist is his remarkable humility: he resolutely rejects the temptation of accepting the dignity of Messiah which the crowds apparentlywanted to bestow upon him. Instead, he pointed the way to the Messiah who would follow.

Meditation

When the Lord comes "he baptizes with the Holy Spirit and with fire."  Do you want to be on fire for God and for the return of the Lord Jesus when he comes in his glory? Fire in biblical times was associated with God and with his action in the world and in the lives of his people.  God sometimes manifested his presence by use of fire, such as  the burning bush which was not consumed when God spoke to Moses (Exodus 3:2). The image of fire was also used to symbolize God's glory (Ezekiel 1:4, 13), his protective presence (2 Kings 6:17), his holiness (Deut. 4:24), righteous judgment (Zechariah 13:9), and his wrath against sin (Isaiah 66:15-16).  It is also used of the Holy Spirit (Matt. 3:11 and Acts 2:3).  God's fire both purifies and cleanses, and it inspires a reverent fear of God and of his word in us.

John the Baptist's life was fueled by one burning passion -- to point others to Jesus Christ and to the coming of his kingdom.  Who is John the Baptist and what is the significance of his message for our lives?  Scripture tells us that John was filled with the Holy Spirit even from his mother's womb (Luke 1:15, 41) by Christ himself, whom Mary had just conceived by the Holy Spirit.  When Mary visited her cousin Elizabeth John lept in her womb as they  were filled with the Holy Spirit (Luke 1:41). The fire of the Spirit dwelt in John and made him the forerunner of the coming Messiah.  John was led by the Spirit into the wilderness prior to his ministry where he was tested and grew in the word of God.  John's clothing was reminiscent of the prophet Elijah (see Kings 1:8).   John broke the prophetic silence of the previous centuries when he began to speak the word of God to the people of Israel.  His message was similar to the message of the Old Testament prophets who chided the people of God for their unfaithfuless and who tried to awaken true repentance in them.  Among a people unconcerned with the things of God, it was his work to awaken their interest, unsettle them from their complacency, and arouse in them enough good will to recognize and receive Christ when he came.

John the Baptist was more than a prophet (Luke 7:26).   John was the voice of the Consoler  who is coming (John 1:23; Isaiah 40:1-3).  He completed the cycle of prophets begun by  Elijah (Matt. 11:13-14).  What the prophets had carefully searched for and angels longed to see, now came to completion as John made the way ready for the coming of the Messiah, God's Annointed Son, the Lord Jesus Christ.  With John the Baptist, the Holy Spirit begins  the restoration to the human race of the "divine likeness", prefiguring what would be achieved with and in the Lord Jesus.  John's baptism was for repentance -- turning away from sin and taking on a new way of life according to God's word.   Our baptism in Jesus Christ by water and the Spirit results in a new birth and entry into God's kingdom as his beloved sons and daughters (John 3:5).  Jesus is ready to give us the fire of his Spirit that we may radiate the joy and truth of the gospel to a world in desparate need of God's light and truth.  His word has power to change and transform our lives that we may be lights pointing others to Christ.  Like John the Baptist, we too are called to give testimony to the light and truth of
Jesus Christ. Do you point others to Christ in the way you live, work, and speak?

Reflections:

·  Please re-read the phrase(s)/sentence(s) that move(s)/touche(s) you.

· In those days John the Baptist appeared, preaching in the desert of Judea (and) saying, "Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand!" 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.'"  (Matthew 3:1-2)
   -----What has been your experience with repentance? How do you feel about this concept?

· Produce good fruit as evidence of your repentance.   And do not presume to say to yourselves, 'We have Abraham as our father.'   For I tell you, God can raise up children to Abraham from these stones. Even now the ax lies at the root of the trees. Therefore every tree that does not bear good fruit will be cut down and thrown into the fire. (Matthew 3:8-10)
  ----- Describe "fruits that befits repentance"?

· I am baptizing you with water, for repentance, but the one who is coming after me is mightier than I. I am not worthy to carry his sandals. He will baptize you with the holy Spirit and fire. His winnowing fan is in his hand. He will clear his threshing floor and gather his wheat into his barn, but the chaff he will burn with unquenchable fire. (Matthew 3:11-12)
   ----How does  Jesus' "baptizing with the Holy Spirit and with fire" affect us today?
   ----Are you eager to hear God's word and to be changed by it through the power of the  Holy Spirit?
   -----In my baptism, what in me should die, and what will have a new life?

·  What is the basis of my self-worth? A certain "separatedness" because of my social class or my actions in the Holy Church?
  
·  What is my value system now, and how does God call me to view my world differently?

Prayer

Lord, let your light burn brightly in my heart that I may know the joy and freedom of your kingdom. Fill me with your Holy Spirit and empower me to witness the truth of your gospel and to point others to Jesus Christ.