2021-12-05 2nd Sunday of Advent

 Choices


Today’s readings speak to me of choices.  What do we want to follow the promises of princes of empire or the promises of the Prince of Peace?  How do we want to live, in the fear of scarcity or in love-fueled hope?  Each of these choices call for action from us.  Will we choose wisely?

 

In the section of the Book of Baruch, prior to today’s reading, the prophet first tells the people they are in exile as God’s punishment for their disobedience but then begins to tell them they will be delivered.  Today’s reading is a continuance of God’s assurance that the people of Israel will be able to shed their widow’s weeds and weeping veils and “put on the splendor of glory from God, wrapped in the cloak of justice from God”.  Today’s Psalm speaks of the former captives rejoicing upon their return home and watching others returning home.  These two readings show the difference between the reign of empire and the reign of God.  One is slavery and injustice, the other is justice and joy.  These readings tell us that God is always inviting us to return and of the joy we experience when we accept the invitation.

 

When Paul writes to the Philippians: “And this is my prayer: that your love may increase ever more and more in knowledge and every kind of perception, to discern what is of value.”  It is also a prayer for us to learn, through the gospel of Jesus Christ, the ability to discern the difference between empire and the beloved kingdom.

 

Today’s Gospel reading begins with Paul naming the rulers of empire from the highest ranking, Tiberias Caesar, to the lowest, the regional tetrarchs, Philip and Lysanias.  He also names the religious leaders, the high priests, Annas and Caiaphas, who at the time, are under the thumb of and sometimes collaborators with the rulers of empire.  But! God chooses a wilderness prophet, who is living in the desert, to announce the Holy One’s invitation to the people.  God invites them, through John, to repent as their deliverance and their Deliverer is near.  Again, the choices are between the way of empire and the way of God.

 

Today, the same choices are before us.  Just to be clear I am using the term ‘empire’ to represent earthly leaders, be they political, corporate, or other so-called, ‘influencers’.  When religious leaders choose empire over the teachings of their founders and Holy Books, they too, are part of empire.  As Christians, we are to follow the gospel of Jesus and His interpretation of the Tanakh, that is, Hebrew Scripture.  As I often say, the teaching of the whole Bible can be summed up by Micah 6:8: “what does the Lord require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God?”  It is well to keep in mind that while the choice you make is your own, the responsibility of your choice is to humanity and to creation.  We are each part of the Earth community, and our choices have a communal effect. 

 

In the opening, I expressed fear of scarcity and love-filled hope in opposition to each other.  I also suggested that our choices call for actions, including how we receive the scriptures.  In discussing her latest book, The Lost Art of Scripture,  Karen Armstrong said while doing her research for the book, some of the things she discovered was,

 

[Quote]… that all religions shared a concern, from the very beginning, for justice and equity.  That’s a very important message for our time when we’re seeing massive global inequity.  They were also concerned with the environment, another topic of our time.  Also, Scripture always had to be translated into practical action, either in ritual or in ethical action.  It’s not just a question of reading the sacred texts and relishing them.  You have to put them into practice and make them part of yourself. [Unquote]

 

Fear of scarcity can be channeled into violence as we see in south of the border.  Violence can take many forms such as, but not limited to, war, physical violence, racism, Islamophobia, and greed.  Love-filled hope on the other hand, inspires standing with those who are oppressed, and looking for creative ways of ensuring the common good.  This Advent as we respond to God’s invitation to return, let us examine the choices we are making.  Today’s homily is short, but I want us to meditate a bit on our own choices as we listen to this music for approximately five minutes.  When the music is finished, I invite you to share your thoughts.

 

 

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