2nd of Advent 11
December 2011
‘John the baptizer appeared in the wilderness, proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins.’
John was sent to prepare the way for Jesus of Nazareth.
He did not appear in the Temple in Jerusalem.
He did not speak to the chief priests or Temple authorities.
He did not go to the court of King Herod.
He did not even travel the well made Roman roads.
He appeared in the wilderness, a semi desert, largely deserted area.
To meet him and listen to his message people had to go out into the wilderness, away from the busy world and bustle of the cities, towns and villages.
His message was simple. Each one of us is in need of forgiveness and conversion.
Each one of us must have a change of mind and heart.
Each one of us can see the need for ongoing reformation in our church.
We talk about it frequently and bemoan the lack of progress.
We can easily forget that true reformation of our church entails reformation of each individual member of the church. That is me.
I must repent. I must reform. I must be converted. I must do things I do not do. I must stop doing some things which I now do.
If each member of our church repents. If each member of our church is converted. If each member of our church is reformed, then our whole church is repentant, is converted, is reformed.
It is said that a nation gets the Government it deserves. If this is true then a church also gets the leadership it deserves.
So during this Advent I need to go into the wilderness (at least metaphorically), away from the rush and bustle and distractions of life and let My God heal my bruised spirit and give new direction and focus to my life.
A quote from St. Theresa of Avila may be of help to you;
‘Christ has no body now on earth but yours,
no hands but yours, no feet but yours.
Yours are the eyes through which Christ’s compassion
is to look out to the world.
Yours are the feet by which he is to go around doing good.
And yours are the hands by which he is to bless us now.’