As we enter the second week of Advent, we are presented with the exciting and prophetic voice of John the Baptist; he stands in that strong line of Jewish prophets who are often 'a voice crying in the wilderness' (Isa 40:3). Time and time again, God chose these men and women to act as mirrors to human society: they offered a vision that many found difficult to follow. Isaiah offers us an amazing vision, taken up by Matthew and the reconciliation ministry of John: The Messiah will make 'a straight highway for our God across the desert. Let every valley be filled in, every mountain and hill be laid low…then the glory of God will be revealed, and all shall see it.' (Isa 40 4-5). It has not been an easy path for all of us in these past few years: we have experienced all kinds of woes and problems—medical, economic and global. John is given to us today as the enabler. He comes full of empathy and compassion to help us all move forward; Mark presents the crowds coming to him in the River Jordan for baptism: using water as a symbol of cleansing. Through this ritual the crowds: 'confessing their sins, they were baptized by him in the Jordan River (Matt 3:6). God wants to make things easy for us by making sure the paths are straight and I find it ironic that we, as Church, can make people jump through hoops and can make their path, their Camino so difficult. Albert Einstein, on being told that the United States Declaration of Independence was "Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness," he would say that the pursuit of happiness is for idiots! That seems a rather sweeping statement and I am sure that he did not want to disrespect the US Constitution, but what is it that makes us fully happy? Certainly, a global pandemic has taught us that our health is so important; Einstein could say with confidence

"You should pursue truth. You should pursue beauty. Not running around trying to be happy, happy, happy, buying things, doing things that will make you happy, happy, happy. Because they are never going to make you happy."

John's message was simply, "Repent." However, it was not the concept of 'repent' that we think usually about it. We might think that repentance is about going down on your knees and saying just how sorry you are. He was talking about something quite different. He was talking about the total embrace of God that leads to a feeling of safety and accepted. The word "repentance" means 'metanoia'. Metanoia is the word that is used when we say, "Come back to the Lord." It is a call to turn your life around: to stop walking aimlessly in those silly little pasts, full of harm for yourself and hopelessness for others. John's powerful call to come back home, for the Messiah is here. No one has the right to stop your need for true metanoia—scribes, Pharisees, or anyone who thinks that they speak for God. Nobody is excluded from that loving embrace of God. John the Baptist knew that sin was a failure to love, and it still is. Sin is a failure to love, to do what you know you should do, to be the kind of person you know that you can become, to do and walk with Jesus, for Jesus has come for only one purpose and it is to teach us how to love.

Today John points to the one who will make you truly and fully happy. Like all good disciples, John points to a truth beyond himself: as those roads are straightened out and the valleys filled in, we have an easy access to a God who loves us unconditionally and will be our source of happiness and joy. As you light that second candle and bask in the gift of peace you have been given, you can take stock of your life and point to the areas that bring you happiness-name those areas and show your gratitude.

Today: with Albert Einstein, reflect on what makes you happy

We can pray as we light the second candle:

Listen to the musical adaptation of today's first reading from Isaiah, put to music by Handel, 'Come Ye/Every Valley' by Gramophone Chorus, Ghana

Dear Heavenly Father,

Help me to hear your voice.

Touch me once again.

Give me the courage to be your beloved.

Give me courage to choose joy.

I need you now this Christmas.

Be born in me again. Today.

In Jesus' name, Amen.

(Bonnie Gray)

Author: Fr Gerry O'Shaughnessy SDB

Photo by Nick Fewings on Unsplash