HOMILY FOR THE 2ND SUNDAY OF ADVENT YEAR A.

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Isaiah 1:1-10; Psalm 71:1-2, 7-8, 12-13, 17; Romans 15:4-9; Matthew 3:1-12.

“BE PREPARED!”

By: Rev. Fr. Charles Onyeka Ezejide

·       Today, the church continues her journey of waiting in joyful hope for the second coming of the son of God in the flesh at Christmas and at the end of time. This journey is not expected to be an idle journey but a journey filled with activities. Activities such that please God so that when the son of God is revealed we will be found worthy to behold him.

·       Today, being the second Sunday of Advent, the Lord is issuing us a second letter, a personal letter asking us to be prepared and to make ourselves and our hearts ready to receive him. He will repeat this letter in various forms throughout the season of advent, will you rather not respond positively to it?

·       Today’s personal letter to us from God is asking us to be prepared just like the motto of the boys scout, since we do not know the day or time the Lord will come. What a wise and a smart Christian will do, is it to always be in the right place at the right time with the right disposition.

·       The first reading (Isaiah 11:1-10), gives us a picture of what it will be like when the son of God is revealed. He shall return all things to its original innocence and establish peace forever. When he comes “wolf will live with lamb, the will panther lie down with the kid, calf and lion feed together, with a little boy to lead them. The cow and the bear make friends, their young lie down together. The lion eats straw like the ox. The infant plays over cobra’s hole; into the viper’s lair the young child puts his hand. They do no hurt, no harm, on all my holy mountain, for the country is filled with the knowledge of the Lord as the waters swell the sea” (Isaiah 11:6).

·       This beautiful promises of God prophesied by the prophet Isaiah will only come to pass after the great judgement because the son of God who is coming is a prince of peace and a just judge. Those who will enjoy this original innocence and protection are those who are adequately prepared and are found worthy. Those that are found blameless and have patterned their life in righteousness.

·       On that day of the great revealing of the son of the most high God, what will prevail is justice and eternal peace. There shall be no more enmity or violence because the Lord God will establish peace forever. That is exactly what the psalmist tells us this day that “in his days justice shall flourish, and peace till the moon fails” (Ps. 71:1).

·       What then shall we do to make ourselves prepared? The second reading (Romans 15:4-9), reminds us that we must keep hope alive, even if the coming of the Lord seem to delay, we must keep hope alive and continue to live in righteousness. Once we do not give up while waiting and expecting, we shall surely not be disappointed.

·       While waiting, John the Baptist in the Gospel (Matthew 3:1-12), tells us that to prepared means to repent of our sins. We must “repent for the kingdom of God is close at hand” (Matthew 3:2). And we must harken to that voice in the wilderness “prepare a way for the Lord, make his paths straight” (Matthew 3:3).

·       Dearly beloved in Christ, the invitation to be prepared is a serious one and must be taken seriously. Even the Scribes and Pharisees who have been perennial enemies of Jesus saw the need to be prepared in order to gain salvation, repented of their sins as seen in their quest for baptism.

·       Dear friends in Christ, yes we may have been baptised but may not have kept the vows of our baptism which we renew every day at the mass by engaging in terrible sins and loose living. Today, we must like the Pharisees and scribe denounce our sins and be resolved with the help of God not to go back to them again, so that our profession of faith will be real and sincere because the wages of sin is death (Romans 6:23).

·       One thing is sure, that the day of the Lord will soon come upon us, but God forbid that it meets us unprepared or takes us unawares. Therefore, we must remember therefore that we are 24hours Christians and we are expected to be ready at all time.

·       Today is another opportunity to respond lovingly to this invitation to righteousness and make good the time we have here on earth to model our lives in righteousness so that whenever the Lord comes we have nothing to lose but everything to gain – the crown of unfading glory!

·       May the Lord give us the grace to ward off sinful lifestyles and to be always prepared to receive him in our hearts and in homes whenever he comes through Christ our Lord, Amen!

·       Happy Sunday!!!

 

 

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