OMELIE / Omelie EN

06 dic 2020

06/12/2020 – 2nd Sunday of Advent - B

06/12/2020 – 2^nd Sunday of Advent - B

Reading 1 IS 40,1-5.9-11 * Psalm 84 * Reading 2 2PT 3,8-14* Gospel MK 1,1-8

Jesus has assured His disciples He will come back, even if in a unpredictable and sudden way. Today we are pushed to prepare ourselves by looking at how His first coming among His people has been prepared. There it is: John, in the desert, on the main roads connecting Israel and the Pagan peoples, so in a place where the latter can listen as well, reminds of the most beautiful prophecies announced by the ancient prophets and announces their close moment to come true. Those prophecies, well present in the memory of the people for centuries, and therefore considered a far away dream that will never come true, are instead right there at the door: in fact, the one who is sent to fulfill them is already present among men.

The evangelist Mark, who is going to accompany us this year in our listening to the Lord, summarises in very few lines John’s mission. He is introducing him to us like one of the prophets of old, both because of his clothes, poor and essential, and the menu of his meals, quickly assembled and simple, but above all because of his concision and the strength of his message. John does not follow the fashion of men, does not let himself to be influenced or defined by their habits. So, whoever sees him and hears him, can listen more easily to his words as words coming from heaven: his way of living inspires trust in the fact that his message is true and not dictated by self interest.

He advises conversion, to change therefore the way of thinking, and so of acting: not to think anymore that God is far away and far are the possibilities of meeting Him. He is getting closer to you: prepare the way for Him, remove the obstacles, those created by your sins, by your daily disobedience, by your selfishness that comes out of your every move. How real have been the actions of your disobeying God, so very real now need to be the steps you take in order to go back to Him: let yourself be cleansed by the water, lower yourself under my hand in a way that everyone can see, in a way to compromise yourself in front of the rest of the people. The One who comes is way greater than me, He has tasks way more important than mine: I prepare you a little cleaner, He will fill your heart with the Holy Spirit, with the very life of God. I am like the one who washes the dirt off a bottle, He is the one who fills it with a precious liqueur. I am showing and introducing Him to you, He will love you as the groom loves the bride, with a unique love, deep, joyful and complete.

The presence and the word of John is a consolation for those who have always been waiting for the coming of God in the history of men. The poor are waiting for Him, because they are oppressed from every direction. They, who do not have power in the world and cannot count even on the power of money, are waiting for the kingdom of God: they see John as a sign and a gift from God, from the faithful God who keeps His promises. This is why they run to him, getting further away from the temple of Jerusalem, in which the consoling words which bring hope are not heard anymore: they understand that he really is the voice which is “herald of good news and says: Here is your God”. They will not struggle to join Jesus.

John’s message is consoling us, is opening us to hope, but we still need patience, the apostle Peter says in the second reading. God is using patience with us, but we too need to pair it with carefulness: attention to the daily coming of God, our Saviour, and patience for waiting for the fulfillment of His liberation and His salvation from the daily occasions for suffering. Let us wait, without haste!