Second Sunday of Advent

Dear Parishioners,

    Every Advent we read predictions of the Messiah’s coming in the Scriptures.  Most of these predictions are contained in the Old Testament.  Today we read from the Prophet Baruch.  The Jewish people looked forward to an all-powerful leader arriving.  They were an oppressed people.  Rome was an occupying power. 

    The Jews reacted to the oppression in two ways.  One thing the Israelites did was that they tried to hang on scrupulously to their religion and culture.  When an ethnic or religious group is persecuted the tendency is to resist by hanging on to the identity of the group with greater fervor.  The other tendency is to look for a leader and or movement that will end the oppression.  The Jewish people did those things.  They were proud of their heritage and they clung to that heritage. 

Unfortunately, when a religious group is in the majority and controls society, the tendency is to become lax and to take one’s heritage for granted.  One might argue that we Christians living in America do just that.

Advent is a time of renewal.  I would encourage everyone to engage in some spiritual practices during the next three weeks.  That can be praying with our “blue book”, attending weekday Mass, coming to our Advent Reconciliation Service, coming to evening prayer Sunday night or doing a host of other things. We all need to strengthen our faith as our Savior’s return approaches.

Blessings,

Fr. Mark