We are already at the second Sunday of Advent. Christmas isn't far away. Many houses and shops are already decorated, lights are glittering, carols are being sung. Do our readings today give us any indications about what kind of person we are preparing for?

Our first reading today is taken from the prophet Isaiah, as on each of the Advent Sundays. The prophet is looking into the future in hope, dreaming of the coming of the Messiah from the root of Jesse, from the Davidic line. The Gospel Jesus fits this expectation; he is referred to by Matthew as the Son of David.

Isaiah believes that on him the Spirit of the Lord God will rest, endowing him with wisdom, understanding, counsel, might, knowledge and the fear of the Lord God. His approach to others, especially the poor and the meek, will be upright and fair. This too fits the Gospel Jesus, on whom the Spirit descends at the time of his baptism by John.

The prophet then changes key, dreaming now of what the world will be like when the promised one comes, a very different world. The imagery is surprising and extremely powerful. He paints a picture of an amazing transformation. The leopard will lie down with the young goat, the calf with the lion. A little child will lead them. Cow and bear shall graze together, a child will play over the cobra's hole, put his hand in the den of the adder. "They shall not hurt or destroy in all my holy mountain."

The peace and harmony in the animal kingdom of Isaiah's dream is breathtaking. But I think the imagery, richly symbolic, invites us to extrapolate a little. At another level it is suggesting that in the day of the root of Jesse divisions amongst human beings caused by hatred, prejudice and greed, divisions leading to violence and destruction, will be healed. The world will be a different place. This dream is still our dream today.

Similar ideas are found in the psalm, which proclaims that there will be justice and peace. The weak and needy will be cared for. All nations will be blessed in him. Paul, in writing to the Christian community in Rome, picks up the theme too, praying that God will grant us to live in harmony with one other, welcoming one another as Jesus welcomes each of us. And he states that the

division between Jew and Gentile, the major religious division of his day, will be overcome so that both groups can praise God's mercy together. Pope Leo has already done much to facilitate this.

The Gospel reading is again from Matthew, given that this is year A. This week the figure of the Baptist is placed before us. The reading begins positively with his basic message, the need to repent because the Kingdom of heaven is close at hand. This is an Advent message which applies to us today.

In the Gospels John is naturally viewed in his relationship with Jesus. In fact, he was a significant and important figure in his own right. God's messenger is immediately referred to as the Baptiser. This is the distinctive prophetic activity through which he is best known. As indicated by God's word, he makes his appearance in the wilderness. This setting is highly symbolic. In the hindsight of centuries, the time spent in the wilderness during the Exodus came to be viewed rather idealistically as the period of God's (honeymoon) closeness with the People in covenant love and liberation, the time of Israel's most intense experiences of God, even though it was also a time of testing, rebellion and punishment. This view was then romantically projected into the future, so that with the years the expectation developed that God's final saving intervention in the end time would commence in the wilderness, as a kind of new Exodus. So the wilderness setting suggests that God is about to renew the covenant with Israel, to inaugurate the new age.

John seems to have moved up and down the lower Jordan river in the barren land east of Jerusalem towards the Dead Sea. He quickly won the respect of the ordinary people, who came out in large numbers from the villages and towns of Judea to find and listen to him. He appears as a nomad prophet, and operates independently of institutionalised religion. He seems to have nothing to do with the Jerusalem Temple and its authorities and sacrificial system. Nor does he quote the scriptures. His garb, diet and lifestyle were typical of the Bedouin nomad, and may have reminded the people of their wilderness wandering, prior to entry into the land of promise. Some scholars believe that the reference to his camel-hair clothing and leather belt is intended to evoke the figure of Elijah, who was expected to return as forerunner of the Messiah.

John was convinced that the root of the crisis of his people was their sinfulness, which was frustrating God's design. There was need for radical change and a fresh start. His baptism was a rite of conversion and forgiveness, signifying a new beginning and a new future.

John doesn't mince his words when the religious elite come along, addressing them as a brood of vipers. Then, as he continues to speak, his language and imagery become quite disturbing. The axe is laid to the root of the trees; unfruitful trees will be cut down and burned. Whilst the one coming after him, whose sandals he is unworthy to carry, will baptise with the Holy Spirit, not simply water, he will also baptise with fire, winnowing fork in hand, burning the chaff as he gathers the wheat into his barns.

The one coming after him, the one dreamed about and longed for by Isaiah, we know as Jesus. From what we learn about Jesus from the Gospels, Isaiah seems to be closer to the reality than the Baptist. Whilst Jesus clearly holds John in high esteem, his words and style of ministry are very different from what John seems to expect. Jesus has a special concern for the poor, the sick, the outcast, the marginalised. He treats others with compassion, bringing healing and wholeness. His preaching is positive and accessible. He doesn't wield an axe or winnowing fork; there is nothing violent in his approach to people. He is "meek and humble of heart."

As we move into this second week of Advent, let's continue to dream of peace and harmony at different levels of our world, and let's work for it in our own lives and families, neighbourhoods and workplaces. Let's try to be bridge builders in situations of misunderstanding, division and conflict. In this way we will be preparing the way of the Lord, making his paths straight, and enabling people to experience the salvation of our God.

Text courtesy of Fr Micheal Winstanley SDB

Image © Salesian Link/Dearden