By Rev. Canon David B. Tabo-oy
v3So John went throughout the whole territory of the Jordan River, preaching,
“Turn away from your sins and be baptized, and God will forgive your sins.”
v4As it is written in the book of the prophet Isaiah: “Someone is shouting in the desert:
‘Get the road ready for the Lord; make a straight path for him to travel!
v5Every valley must be filled up, every hill and mountain leveled off.
The winding roads must be made straight, and the rough paths made smooth.
v6The whole human race will see God’s salvation!’” – Read: Luke 3:1-6
There has to be a John to pave the way of Jesus. The call of John is one of radical transformation, so radical that we have to be transformed into a new human being, a ready receptacle for the fresh and unrepeatable experience of something marvelously singular: the birth of Christ in us. All of us who claim to be Christians are enjoined in this gallant and fearless mission.
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I was Retreat Master (I prefer ‘facilitator’) to the pre ordination retreat of Ms. Jhamee Ladip Lumawig on November 29-December 1. She was ordained to the Sacred Order of Deacon last Wednesday. I focused the retreat on ‘humble charity’ which I believe encompasses the ministry of the ordained particularly of the Deacon. This humble charity/love is modeled and radiated to the deacon through the bishop’s laying on of hands and invocation of the Holy Spirt as the bishop and priest, God willing, live this in word and deed. It is their lived example that shows the deacon how to model the humble charity of Christ to others. It is necessary to say that their example would not be possible without first following the example of Jesus, who “humbled himself to share in our humanity.” He showed humble charity by living for others and giving up his life in humble service for our salvation. Likewise, the faithful are called to follow the same path by virtue of the vows made during baptism. It is through this mission partnership that transformation be attained among men and women so that ‘the whole human race will see God’s salvation’.
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Advent is the season of preparation. The Advent wreath’s first candle (of Hope or Prophecy) has already begun to burn lower. This Sunday we light the second, the candle of Peace. One fourth of the current year’s portion of preparation time has already passed. Now, it is time to address some significant questions. What are we preparing for? Who needs to be prepared? Who will prepare them? What we are preparing for is the easiest question. The hymns and texts sang in church make it clear that we are preparing for no less than the kingdom of God. Think of the words we pray so often, “Thy kingdom come, thy will be done.” That is what we prepare for and work for, today, and every day, here, and wherever we are.
***
Fortunately, we do not need to invest in camel’s hair and leather wardrobes, or check out the Internet for a good source of locusts and wild honey (John the Baptist’s OOTD and staple in Matthew 3:4). We do, however, need to be very clear about who it is who needs to be prepared and who will do the work of preparation. The answer to the first question, of who needs to be prepared, is much bigger for us than it would have been for Isaiah. The words of John in our Gospel lesson cited above are the words of the prophet Isaiah. Isaiah spoke to those who believed themselves to be God’s chosen people. Abraham was the one whom God told that his descendants would be a witness to God’s presence in the world. They grew from a tribe of nomads into a small nation of sheepherders, farmers, and merchants. They may have been the main characters in the familiar stories that make up the Hebrew Scriptures, but they were very minor players in the empires that came and went in that part of the world. In this time of global turmoil due to various manmade problems aggravated by the ongoing pandemic, for us, the answer to who needs to be prepared is the whole world. It is everyone included in the instruction to “Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.”
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Who will prepare the way? Isaiah and John have become the stuff of legends. The disciples are history. But we are gathered every Sunday worship as a community of believers. We believe that God so loved the world that he sent his only son that we might have eternal life. We believe that all who choose to truly repent will be forgiven. We believe that nothing of this earth can separate us from the love of God.
Like John, we are not the way but we know the way. It would seem, therefore, that we are today’s prophets. We are the ones who can give voice to the good news that Christ has died. Christ has risen.
And Christ will come again. We know what we are getting ready for. If we do not share that, who will?
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John calls for repentance as the way to receive forgiveness from God. This call of repentance goes beyond a simple confession of wrong-doings. It involves a profound change of the whole person and demands turning our backs on old self-centered habits (metanoia). John gives us a down to earth advice on how to smooth a passageway for Christ coming into our lives, by pointing out obstacles and barriers at the door of our hearts that need to be removed. Among the valleys to be filled in, are, no doubt, the many gaping sins of omission (the good we meant to do and never got round to doing), our neglect of family and neighbors, those wasted opportunities in life for helping others and for soul-making. The mountains of our pride can only be levelled out by the daily practice of the virtue of ‘humble charity’.
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The Baptizer offers us courage, and stirs our hearts to hope and commitment, so that our lives really do change. What a Gospel, what a gift! Is it worth the risk of ridicule and derision to move away from the things that will destroy us? John only invites us to take the plunge, and wait with expectation for the coming light that will never be overcome by the darkness. John’s promise that all flesh shall see the salvation of God cannot come too soon. Our heeding of his message and submitting our hearts and minds to an expectant Advent are the beginning of what God desires for us all, a peace and justice that await the day of God’s coming.
Let us pray.
Merciful God, we come before you to find a place of peace and silence. We want to listen to your words that lead to life. Too often we only hear words of strife, violence and war. We know that there is more to life than what television, the internet, and the print media offers us. We feel that we constantly run the treadmill of life and we want to get off. During this Season of Advent make us more attentive to your story of salvation in Jesus Christ. Christ is our Lord and Savior. In our daily lives, the world offers us a continuous maze of choices that promise us the best life offers. We know in our hearts that you alone have the authentic words of life. We want to drink of this words and live according to your eternal promises. Let the light of the gospel illumine our paths and make our paths straight. Keep the love we offer one another in our Church and community alive. Make us like those who you say: “Well done, good and faithful servant.” Help us remember the needy and make us whole. In Jesus holy name. Amen.
