Tag: 2nd Sunday of Advent

Dec 10 ( Based on Mk 1: 1-8)

Fr Jijo Manjackal MSFSLeave a comment

The Disney movie “The Lion King” features a young lion named Simba.
>> Simba is destined to rule the world!

The movie begins with a scene where Simba’s father takes him to “Pride Rock” (the equivalent of a throne) and shows him his inheritance.

But soon afterwards, a wicked plot by the evil hyenas is set, and Simba’s father is murdered.
>> Simba fled from the place due to fear and uncertainity.

The hyenas seized the throne and with evil, the land becomes desolate and desperate.

It’s in this situation, that Rafiki, a monkey – a wise sage of the land – seeks out Simba.
>> He helps Simba to overcome his fear and aids him in understanding his destiny and person.

He made him realize what was the power and the authority that he was inherent with!

Once Simba realized who he was and what he possessed, and his role in the society…
… he drove way the hyenas Pride Rock and took His place as king!
>> Thus peace and beauty were restored to the land.

It needed a Rafiki – the wise monkey sage- to make Simba realize his worth…
… and his duties!

That’s how it is in our Christian lives as well…

God intervenes in our life – either by Himself directly, or through some other people or situations
>> And makes us realize and recognize our worth and our duties.

The Gospel of the Day is an intervention by God in the life of the people of Israel – through the instrumentality of John the Baptist…
… making the people to realize and recognize their worth and duties.

On this Second Sunday of Advent, the Gospel presented before us, is the starting of the Gospel of St Mark, beginning with…
… “The beginning of the GOSPEL of Jesus Christ the Son of God.” (Mk 1:1)

The word “Gospel” is from the Greek word, “Evangelion”…
…. Which means a “Good News”

When St Mark begins by saying, “The beginning of the GOSPEL of Jesus Christ, the Son of God”,  he is announcing the “good news” that Jesus, the King has come…
… to deliver His people out of every bondage
… to redeem His people and bring them back to His Kingdom.

It was a fulfillment of the words of prophet Isaiah ( as we see in today’s First Reading),
“Comfort, give comfort to my people, says your God.” (Is 40:1)

(These words of Isaiah were a “good news” to the People of Israel, who had been in captive, and now…
… were to be delivered out of their bondage
… were to be redeemed by having their Kingdom restored)

This announcing of “comfort to the people” is done through the instrumentality of John the Baptist.

He exhorts the people to receive the “comfort of the Lord” by overcoming all their bondages…
… by his words: asking the people to repent of their sin  (Mk 1:4)
… by his appearance: in the resemblance of Elijah, the Prophet – to signify that He was preparing the “way of the Lord” (Mk 1:6)

Are we prepared to give heed to this call of John the Baptist?
… asking us to repent of our sins?
… asking us to prepare a “way for the Lord?”

The Lord wishes all of us to experience “His Comfort” in our lives
>> But this can happen…
… only if we repent of our sins
… only if we seek to prepare a “way for the Lord”

Let’s examine our lives…

What are the areas in my life, that needs the aspect of “repentance”
… with respect to some of my spiritual practices
… with respect to some of my relationships
… with respect to some of the “unhealthy” habits, to which I keep clinging

What are the areas in my life, that requires me to “prepare a way for the Lord?”
… with respect to bringing the “awareness of the Lord’s Presence” in my daily works and activites
… with respect to “repairing” some relationships that needs a conscious effort on my part

Our Christian lives constantly has God intervening in our life…
…. either by Himself directly, or through some other people or situations
>> To make us realize and recognize our worth and our duties.

And today, through the Gospel Reading on John the Baptist…
… the Lord is intervening in our lives!

Let’s give heed…
>> Let’s make the suitable changes….

May this Season of Advent, continue to help us, to experience, the “comfort of the Lord” in our lives…
… and thus may His “Evangelion” – the Good News – find a place to be “born in our hearts” in this Festive Season!

God Bless! Live Jesus!

Dec 6 (Lk 3:1-6)

Fr Jijo Manjackal MSFS2 Comments

St John Maria Vianney is the patron saint of priests.

As a model priest, he made it a point to help all the needy in his parish or in the region around him.

Once, word was sent to him that a very sick man of his parish was seeking to make confession.
>> However, this man was pretty far off from the place where the church was.

It was a time when vehicles were too sparse.
>> The climate was bitter cold and the rain storm was blowing in.

But the zeal in the heart of the Saintly Priest was still greater.

So, he picked up his cloak and started his walk to the sick man’s house.
>> The freezing cold pierced through his frail bones
>> The lashing winds wrenched his body in frosty pain

Yet, St John Vianney trekked on…

Finally he reached the house of the sick man.

By the time he arrived, St Vianney himself was shivering and wobbly with high fever.
.>> He fell so ill, that he had to hear the confession, lying down, beside the sick man’s bed.

Many in fact, even thought, that the priest was more sick than the penitent ill-man!

The determination and the willingness of the Saintly Priest made sure that the sick man would experience God’s immense mercy and forgiving love.

The Season of Advent is a time of preparation of this abundant mercy and forgiving love, that our Blessed Lord displays at Christmas.

The Lord is willing to brave any odds to extend His mercy and love to us…
… are we ready to receive it?
… do we prepare ourselves to accept it?

The Gospel of the Day reminds and exhorts us to become aware of this aspect: making a true preparation to realise and receive a God, who wants to be intimately involved in our lives.

The Gospel of the Day begins with the mention of a series of names: political and religious leaders, which formed the context of the birth of Christ.

” In the fifteenth year of the reign of Tiberius Caesar, Pontius Pilate being governor of Judea, and Herod being tetrarch of Galilee, and his brother Philip tetrarch of the region of Ituraea and Trachonitis, and Lysanias tetrarch of Abilene, during the high priesthood of Annas and Caiaphas…” (Lk 3: 1-2)

What do these names of the political and religious figures point to?

1. It shows extent of the religious decay of the Israelites.
>> The Chosen People, who were to have God alone as their King and Ruler, are now ruled by pagan and foreign rulers
>> The Chosen People, who were to have God’s selected persons as Priests and Religious, are now guided by people who had been illegally appointed by the Roman Government

What do we learn?
>> When we fail to listen to God’s commandments and adamantly choose the path of sin, we are bringing upon the wrath of God’s justice on us
>> When we do not give heed to what God wants of us in our lives, we give the governing authority in our lives to Satan and his party, and thus give in to misery and slavery.

2. It also shows that Jesus is not any abstract entity, but One Who was part of our real, historical world
>> The mention of the religious and the political leaders is a clear proof offered by St Luke that Jesus truly, came in flesh and blood, in our history.
>> He is unlike any other godly figure whose historicity can be questioned. He, the God of History, chose to be born, live and be part of our real world – the world we live in.

What do we learn?
>> Jesus, as a historical person means that He can identify with our real problems and difficulties of life. In Him, there is truly Someone who understands us and has experienced what we ourselves undergo in life
>> Jesus, shows that God is not some philosophical abstract or a “creation of the mind” or some utopian idea; rather, Jesus is a God, Who became Emmanuel (= With us, God)

To welcome the birth of this God who wishes to involve in our lives, the messenger, John the Baptist, is sent ahead of Him.

The Gospel says, “John the Baptist went throughout the whole region of the Jordan, proclaiming a Baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins” (Lk 3: 3)

He also echoed what Isaiah the prophet had spoken, “Every valley shall be filled and every mount and hill made low” (Lk 3:5 & Is 40: 3-5)

Thus, we see, the message of John the Baptist can be shortly summarised into a short refrain: Repair and Prepare!

This then, ought to be a message that we carry for our lives…
… as we are exhorted to make ready a place for the Birth of the God, Who wants to be intimately involved in our lives – Repairing and Preparing!

>> Repair….the dark areas of our life, where sin and evil reigns…
… and Prepare… a place, where holiness and God’s sanctity can dwell!

>> Repair… the broken relationships which suffer for lack of forgiveness…
… and Prepare… a heart, which accepts the failures of people and gives them more space!

>> Repair… the bad inclinations and addictions, to which we cling on and find it hard to let go…
… and Prepare… a mind, which is focussed on having Jesus alone as the Lord of one’s life!

Yes, the Lord wishes to come to us.. with His comforting presence and His forgiving love.
>> All that He wishes is that, we be ready to receive Him worthily.

He braves much difficulties… He humbles Himself immensely…
>> Are we ready to bow and accept this magnanimous love of the Divine?

As the hymns goes, “Great things happen, when God mixes with us…”
… Let us Repair & Prepare our lives, so that “God can mix in our lives” and we can truly experience His Greatness in our lives!

God Bless! Live Jesus!