Theology Thursday

Today, I looked at the Catechism and found a small section speaking to us about the season of advent. Seeing as we are currently in the season of advent, I would like to take some time to reflect on what the Church provides us on this season.

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The coming of God's Son to earth is an event of such immensity that God willed to prepare for it over centuries. He makes everything converge on Christ: all the rituals and sacrifices, figures and symbols of the "First Covenant". He announces him through the mouths of the prophets who succeeded one another in Israel. Moreover, he awakens in the hearts of the pagans a dim expectation of this coming.

In this paragraph, we are reminded that the Jewish people waited for hundreds, even thousands, of years for the messiah to come and fulfill the prophesies. It seems that many Christians are stagnant in their faith. "If I believe Christ will save me then he will." But just like the Jewish people, we Christians should also be preparing the world for the second coming of Chirst. The statement He makes everything converge on Chirst reminds me of words from John Paul the Great: "Everything begins from him, leads towards him, everthing, through him, in the Holy Spirit, attains to the Father."

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St. John the Baptist is the Lord's immediate precursor or forerunner, sent to prepare his way. "Prophet of the Most High", John surpasses all the prophets, of whom he is the last. He inaugurates the Gospel, already from his mother's womb welcomes the coming of Christ, and rejoices in being "the friend of the bridegroom", whom he points out as "the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world". Going before Jesus "in the spirit and power of Elijah", John bears witness to Christ in his preaching, by his Baptism of conversion, and through his martyrdom.

St. John the Baptist holds the distinction of being the only prophet of the New Testament and the second disciple of Christ, the first being Mary. Even before birth he proclaims the coming of Christ. The third Sunday of Advent is always accompanied by a Gospel reading of John; whether from Matthew, Luke, or John. What a great example that we should continue to bear witness to Christ. Even after he baptized Christ, John continued his prophetic ministry and even annoyed the Romans enough through this witness that he was hunted down and killed.

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When the Church celebrates the liturgy of Advent each year, she makes present this ancient expectancy of the Messiah, for by sharing in the long preparation for the Savior's first coming, the faithful renew their ardent desire for his second coming. By celebrating the precursor's birth and martyrdom, the Church unites herself to his desire: "He must increase, but I must decrease."

Each year the Church calls us to prepare for the celebration of Christ's birth in rememberance of the long years of waiting for the messiah. Yet, we are also called to prepare ourselves for the time when we will meet Christ. Every January 1, people try to make a New Year's Resolution, so at the beginning of the liturgical year we should make a spiritual resolution to begin preparing for Christ.

Paix du Christ!