2nd Sunday of Advent: Becoming Heralds (Missionary Disciples)

Advent can take us way beyond preparing for Christmas. It certainly does prepare us to be open to the gifts that come with this season. It is a season of hope and expectation. We encounter what happens when we taste our longing and can say, “Come, Lord, Jesus” at a deeper and more personal level. However, Advent can also draw us into the mystery of being not only “preparing” but to become one who is called to prepare the way for Jesus, in our world for others.

Who is this Herald?
John the Baptist is the selfless herald of Christ, a messenger of the Good News. John the Baptist is given to Elizabeth and Zachariah, and to us, as a Hebrew testament prophet. He comes in order to be a precursor. He is the one who steps right out of the message of the Prophet Isaiah to prepare a way for our God to save us – in the midst of the wilderness, the wasteland – wherever there is hopelessness. His message is that the mountains aren’t too high; the valleys aren’t too severe for our God to come and save us – to be with us. He comes to make it clear that he himself is not the promised one. He is only to announce and prepare his way. He calls for repentance and offers forgiveness. He comes with power to speak the truth to those who would be threatened by the good news. And, John pays a prophet’s price for his discipleship.

Becoming Herald, we point to Jesus
Pope Francis tells us – in the Joy of the Gospel – that we share the good news best by our actions, more than by our words. Our inner joy, made manifest in our freedom to witness our joy, in our service for others, evangelizes, that is, it credibly announces the good news of our salvation in Jesus. We tell people about it best when we look like we believe it, and we look like we believe it because we live it. We become those who prepare the way for faith, through our core relationships and in our families, when we witness our faith in Jesus. Our role in preparing the way for Jesus is to announce, to witness, to show how full of joy and how free we are by the personal relationship we have with Jesus. Through our encounter with Jesus, we have the heart of Jesus for others. We are the people who keep the door open, even when it seems there is no hope that someone will return. We become more merciful. We hear the cries of those in need and we reach out and stand on the side of those in need.
Like John, we don’t call attention to ourselves. We point the way to Jesus. We say, “Look, there he is.” “Behold the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world!” When we point the way to Jesus, who is mercy, we become ambassadors of his mercy. One of the most effective ways we can do this is to let ourselves not only be filled with the good news, personally, but to let ourselves fall in love with Jesus – to fall in love with his story, his example, his way of being, his trust in the Father, his parables, his healing presence. Everything about Jesus becomes more and more attractive to us. We come to him and learn from him. Our very being “proclaims the greatness of our God.”

The Cost of missionary Discipleship
Living the life of Jesus, speaking truth to those who sustain injustice, will cost us. If we actively engage in dismantling unjust social structures, it will cost us dearly. Sometimes, even being kind and compassionate will cost us. Speaking about mercy and acting with forgiveness, building bridges, rather than walls, will too often place us at odds with others. John the Baptist found himself in a Herod jail, unsure of his survival, for speaking out about Herod’s life style. It must have shaken him because he sent some of his followers to go to Jesus and to ask if he had been a prophet in vain: “Are you the one who is to come, or should we look for another?” Jesus sent them back to John with this message: “Go and tell John what you have seen and heard: the blind regain their sight, the lame walk, lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, the poor have the good news proclaimed to them. And blessed is the one who takes no offense at me.” (Luke 7)
John gave his life, becoming a martyr who inspires us today. He died in the consolation of Jesus’ assurance that he was blessed in his trust in Jesus and his way. John had prepared the way, and pointed others to Jesus, where they found healing and good news.

Heralds of Good News
As you know we three priests serve here belong to the missionary Society of Heralds of Good News named after this great prophet and messenger of Christ. Sure, all of us are called to be heralds of the Good News (Jesus). We are specially chosen by the Lord to prepare the way for Him in our modern time. Becoming heralds would mean that we need to be active, involved in the mission of the Church. We need to actively invite our friends, relatives, neighbors to the church. It’s the active verb…inviting, reaching, gathering…which makes all the difference in the community.

Three verses that we heard in today’s Gospel need our attention to:
Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand! For what sins do I need to repent? How can I avoid the people, places, and things that lead me to sin?

Prepare the way of the Lord, / make straight his paths. What can I do to make the Lord more present in my family, workplace, parish, or neighborhood? How can I help draw others to an encounter with Christ?

Produce good fruit as evidence of your repentance. How do I show God that I love him above all things? What one thing will I do this week to live more fully my call to be a missionary disciple?

God bless!

Recapture:
1St Sunday of Advent (2016): Stay awake to encounter the Messiah (BE HAPPY/PUT ON SMILE /PRAY)
2ND Sunday of Advent (2016): Becoming Herald (ANNOUNCE / THE GOOD NEWS to your Friends, relatives, neighbors and try to bring them to the Church)

Fr. A. Francis HGN