IV Sunday, Advent, 20/12/1620. [Lk. 3/2-3: “The word of the Lord came to John, the son of Zachary, in the desert. And he came into all the country about the Jordan, preaching the baptism of penance for the remission of sins.”
John’s confession: “I am only the voice, but I am not the person who speaks”. Indeed, it is not John who cries out, but the Lord who does so through the mouth of John. As Paul wrote: “Do not receive my words as human words but as divine; since it is not I who am teaching you but God who is doing so through me”. [II Cor 5/20; I Thess. 2/13]
The divine word comes into a heart first, when His will and good pleasure makes known what is necessary for one’s personal growth and salvation; and secondly, when it leads the person to communicate to others the Will and Plan of God.
There are two reasons why persons do not derive any benefit from the Word of God: first of all, because, although they hear it, they do not let themselves be moved by it and postpone the action it prompts to a later date. Indeed, they do not realize that our life is the today of our existence; and no one can be assured of a tomorrow. [James 4/13-15]. Spiritual avarice – the desire to amass knowledge and a stock of devotional exercises, without the firm intention of practicing them – constitutes the second reason.
The Incarnation took place at a time when the world was at the height of wickedness: when the Jews were without a King and the laws were in the hands of wicked men (Annas and Caiphas), when Herod reigned and Pontius Pilate was governor; and, when both priests and people constituted an evil generation.
Repentance and penance is the appropriate disposition to prepare for the Lord’s coming. Lower the mountains of pride, fill up the valleys and ditches of tepidity with the ardour of devotion. The valleys which John desires that we fill, are the ones caused by excessive fear that leads to discouragement in the face of our sins. He exhorts us to fill up the valleys – our hearts – with the confidence that comes from the conviction that salvation is at hand. [Lk 21/28; Rom. 13/11]
Fear but hope at the same time. Fear lest you become haughty and proud; hope lest you fall into discouragement and despair. Fear without hope is despair. Hope without fear is presumption.
Roads that are winding only mislead travelers besides making them weary. One requires to straighten our devious intentions and correct our perverse motivations by means of penance. We need to imitate the ship’s captain who steers his vessel in the right direction by focusing on the needle of the compass, and the rower of the little barge who always has his hand on the rudder.
God is infinitely merciful, just as he is infinitely just. When his mercy is presumed, it provokes His justice.
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