December 4, 2009
Sunday Scripture
Second Sunday of Advent
BY FATHER DONALD DILGER
Luke began his gospel with two chapters of stories about the conception, birth and brief childhood stories of John the Baptizer and of Jesus. The author included hints of what would be the ministry of both John and Jesus. In today’s gospel reading Luke introduces his readers to the ministry of John. Because God’s revelation to humankind takes place in specific historical circumstances, Luke begins by placing John within the history of the Roman Empire, “In the fifteenth year of the reign of Tiberius Caesar . . .” Tiberius was the immediate successor of Caesar Augustus who died in 14 A.D. Thus John’s ministry began in 29 A.D.
Luke lists other Roman officials of the time: Pontius Pilate, governor of Roman occupied Judea from 18-36 A.D.; Herod Antipas, son of Herod the Great, ruler ofGalilee, 4 B.C.-39 A.D.; Herod Philip, brother of Antipas, ruler of areas north of the See of Galilee. Not only is Roman history important to Luke, but also Jewish history. Thus he places John “in the high priesthood of Annas and Caiaphas.” Annas was high priest from 6-15 A.D. His son-in-law Caiaphas was high priest from 18-36 A.D. For us Christians, their fame (or notoriety) rests on their role in the Passion narratives of the gospels and their harassment of the apostles as noted by Luke in Acts 4:6.
Luke next turns to the standard formula for introducing an Old Testament prophet, “The word of God came to . . . .” In the Old Testament these words introduce Jeremiah and Hosea. Similar expressions introduce Micah, Haggai and Zechariah. Thus Luke tells us that John belongs still to the Old Testament, that he is a prophet like Jeremiah and others, that his message has divine approval, that John is the mouth of God. In Luke 7:24-28, the Lucan Jesus speaks of John as greater than all the prophets and “more than a prophet.” The word of God came to “John, son of Zechariah . . . .” In chapter one Luke had introduced us to the elderly parents of John. Their names: Zechariah and Elizabeth.
Luke reveals the area which was blessed with John’s ministry, “the whole region around the Jordan River,” probably meaning the whole length of the Jordan, from Galilee in the north, all along the eastern border of Samaria and Judea and below Judea to the Dead Sea. John worked his ministry wherever he could draw an audience and wherever there was enough water sufficiently accessible to enter for his baptism. John “preached a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins.” To express the purpose of John’s ministry Luke chooses the words of commissioning first directed to an unknown prophet of 540 B.C., a prophet we refer to as Second Isaiah, “The voice of one crying in the wilderness: prepare the way of the Lord. Make his paths straight.”
In the poetic expressions of Second Isaiah’s message, Luke idealistically describes the outcome of John’s ministry, “Every valley shall be filled. Every mountain and hill shall be brought low. The crooked shall be made straight, and the rough ways shall be made smooth.” Luke envisions the building of a spiritual interstate highway, in preparation for the approach of the One who will complete John’s mission by baptizing not just with water, as John did, but “with the Holy Spirit and with fire.” Luke ends with a favorite theme of his, universal salvation, “All flesh shall see the salvation of God.”
The Book of Baruch dates from the third century B.C., but is attributed to the sixth century B.C. secretary of the Prophet Jeremiah. The first part of Baruch was a call for repentance and a confession of sins. Advent at one time was a time of penance, much as Lent is today (or at least was). The penitential part of Baruch came to an end and a note of hope sounds as the author envisions a glorious Jerusalem, bathed in the glory of God. In this reading, the liturgy of the Second Sunday of Advent encourages us to hope for the glory that comes to those who prepare thru penance “to see the salvation of God,” in celebrating and bringing to life in the liturgy the birth of the Savior.
This reading from a letter to Paul’s favorite congregation was chosen for this Sunday for several reasons. It mentions “the day of Christ Jesus.” Paul of course refers to the Parousia, the technical term by which early Christians spoke of the return of Jesus in glory at the end of time. Our liturgy however redirects the words of Paul toward our celebration of the birth of Jesus as “the day of Christ Jesus.” The second reason for selecting this reading is its call for joy, love, knowledge, purity and freedom from sin for “the day of Christ Jesus.” What better agenda for Advent could one find than to cultivate these virtues as we prepare not only to worthily celebrate the birth of Jesus, but also to prepare for our own second birth, our entry into eternal life. Advent prepares not only for Christmas but also for our eternal life.