C Cycle – 3^rd Sunday of Advent24

Lk.3:10-18

The rhythm of the Church’s “seasons’ invites us to engage our hearts as we yield to its call to give to God what is God’s.  This season of Advent is challenging us to prepare ourselves to embrace the promise of God to redeem us.  Living in this 21^st century we know our response to Jesus requires more than just repentance. Since it is a short four week season, there is a need for us to go deeper.  We need to pray more, avail ourselves of the Sacrament of Reconciliation and take time to read the scriptures and meditate on them. Advent calls us to change our lives not just for the four weeks of Advent but with an aim to have those things become our daily routine. 

Yet, we seem to desire a deeper spiritual life, without dedicating ourselves to maintain those things we were determined to incorporate into our lives.  For repentance to become a part of our lives we need to do more than turn away from sin.  Repentance requires more than atonement for what we have failed to do.  It requires to respond to the call of Jesus to allow the grace of the cross to change us.

Our problem is we do not know how to follow Jesus.  Following Jesus requires more than our presence at mass. It requires more than our offerings and sacrifices.  Jesus requires us to give Him our hearts (Ps.51:16-17).  We have settled for a comfortable coexistence with Jesus and cannot respond to His call to go deeper.  Unfortunately, our fear of the unknown demands of following Jesus makes it easy for us to remain where we are in our relationship with Jesus.  Follow me is a call to take a step into the unknown and walk a path that is completely by faith not by sight. 

In two weeks, we will hear the gospels about the birth of Jesus.  I invite you to use the remainder of Advent to prepare yourself for an encounter with Jesus.  One that will take you into the unknown world of learning to seek Jesus by following the promptings of the Spirit speaking to your hearts.  The shepherds on that night of His birth heard the promptings of Angels telling them to “fear not.” 

That is more than a statement to be brave. It is a challenge to embrace what seems impossible.  It is a statement telling us to allow the presence of Jesus to overwhelm you.  Did you ever notice how the angels after announcing the birth of Christ disappeared.  The message came and it was up to the shepherds to respond. 

The shepherds heard the angels say, “fear not” and they left the sheep to seek Jesus.  They left their job which was to tend the sheep, not abandon them. The left a predictable life knowing it could cost them their livelihood.  That call to “fear not” is a call to all of us.  It is there in the living Word of God for us to hear not as words spoken to shepherds, but words spoken to each of us.  It is a call to look at what we believe to be our duty and seek something that offers us rewards beyond measure. 

Has these past two weeks of Advent had an impact on any of our lives?  After two weeks of Advent, have we slipped back into our daily routine.  Are we more invested in the world than in bringing Christ into the world?  Those words we hear in today’s gospel – “What must we do” should haunt us because we are holding on to what has been comfortable for us in our quest for holiness.  We hold onto our independence and like the Pharisees we believe we are righteous because we measure righteousness by the law. 

The truth is, following the law is easy for it only demands that we have discipline.  We know how easily we can deceive ourselves into believing we are in right standing with God without ever engaging our hearts.  The voice of God in the scriptures is inviting us to listen and to allow that word of God to take root in your hearts.  To allow the Spirit to help us grasp how God in the scriptures is speaking to you.  We are the blind who need to see, the deaf that need to hear and the sinners who are embraced by Jesus as He is offering us forgiveness not condemnation.

Time is not the issue with God, but it is for us.  We could have a full year of Advent, and we would find ourselves in the same position.  We have more to do as we attempt to prepare our hearts for Jesus.  We do need to follow the Baptist’s words to repent for not grasping our need to allow Jesus to reveal how God delights in each of us.  God desires for us is for a life of holiness by following the promptings of the Spirt as it transforms us from “glory to glory into the very image of Jesus Christ” (2 Cor. 3:18). 

Yielding to the move of the Sprit is the only way we can become disciplined enough to repent and to become fearless disciples.