The Gospel for the Second Sunday of Advent begins with John the Baptist. John is something of a fiery character. He is a prophet and makes the public aware of the injustice of rulers. John calls them a “brood of vipers.” The rulers are aware of his challenge and plan to extinguish him, for that is the manner of Militarism. Militarism is the unjust religion the rulers operate. It is the force behind the kingdom of Caesar. Jesus is replacing that kingdom, “Turn, for the Kingdom of God is at hand.” Jesus is also a fiery character. He’s lighting the way for a new future. Those willing to learn from Jesus have a growing awareness and growing fire about the community of the future. Are we as aware as they of the difference between the two kingdoms? One wants cold people, subdued, dimmed of enthusiasm, and dulled of passion. The other wants fiery people, enlivened, bright, and filled with energy.
John’s awareness of the world produced by a “brood of vipers” has him move away from it. A world of vipers can wear at a person’s character, make us neglectful of conscience. So John finds a space to live where character and conscience can be set aglow. For him it is a faraway place. His listeners, similarly aware of the problems of living in the world and its impact on them, seek out this fiery man. He abides in the desert living an aware, authentic life. They seek that same awareness and authenticity for themselves. But most are not called to live in the desert, as we are not. Jesus lived his life in the midst of the vipers, so too can we. It is a great challenge to live in a viperous and busy world and remain aware. It requires that we must turn away from rulers in the kingdom of Caesar. They would make us citizens, patriots, laity, cogs; subdued, dimmed of enthusiasm, and dulled of passion. We are human beings, fiery people, enlivened, bright, and filled with energy. We are aware of the power that burns at our core, a fire for Christ and the Community of God. Anthony De Mello, a prophet and disciple in a book he titled, Awareness, cautioned his readers about a lack of awareness. He cautioned that it led to “mechanical lives, mechanical thoughts – generally somebody else’s – mechanical emotions, mechanical actions.” He urged awareness, “Come home to yourself.” Live from the fire created in you. Let it blaze.
Once upon a time there was a man who invented the art of making fire. He taught others the skill. He showed people how they could cook, keep themselves warm, and see in the night. The people were very grateful but their priests were not. The fire maker was drawing crowds – away from the priests. So they decided to kill him. After the priests did so they became afraid the people might turn against them, so they were very wily. Do you know what they did? They had a portrait of the fire maker made and mounted it on the main altar of a temple. The instruments for making fire, which only the priests could touch, were placed in front of the portrait and the people were taught to revere them. The veneration and the worship went on, but there was no fire. Where is the fire? (drawn from Awareness – Anthony De Mello)
Prayer: Spirit, set our hearts on fire.
Question: What is the fire taken from me and how am I going to get it back?
December 4, 2016 Gospel Matthew 3:1-12 Second Sunday in Advent