Second Sunday of Advent - December 10, 2017

Homily for December 10 & 17, 2017

Second & Third Sunday of Advent

Prepare The Way

            When we talk about Advent being a time of preparation, we are not preparing for Christ’s coming at Christmas. That already happened two thousand years ago. We are rather talking about the two other ways that Christ comes and will come – He comes to us in the Eucharist and the other Sacraments, and He will come again at the end of time.

            St. Theresa of Avila was speaking with one of her other nuns who was saying to her, “Wouldn’t it be great to actually see Jesus? I would love to hear His words and touch His cloak!” The saint responded, “But you do hear His words – every time you read Scripture. You do touch His Body – every time you receive the Eucharist.” It’s true – although we do not physically see Him, we still see Him sacramentally. The very same Body who was born in Bethlehem, worked in His father’s carpentry shop in Nazareth, walked the dusty streets of Galilee, was nailed to the Cross and rose again, is the exact same Body that we receive in the Eucharist.

            So to say Advent is a time of preparation is more than just purchasing gifts and baking cookies for Christmas – it’s about preparing our souls to receive Him in the Sacraments.

            A holy mystic named Catalina once had a vision at Mass where she saw Jesus in each Eucharistic Host. She noticed that when the priest held up the host to give to people, Jesus would have different reactions. For some people, Jesus was excited and overjoyed to enter them. But other times, when the priest held up the host, Jesus was reluctant and even repulsed to enter them. She heard in her soul, “This is the difference between holy souls and lukewarm souls. Jesus is eager to enter a soul that is prepared for Him, but reluctant to enter a soul that loves Him little.”

            And the preparation that is necessary is to remove sin from our soul. John the Baptist, who in today’s Gospel comes to prepare the way for the coming of Jesus, and the first thing he does is call people to repentance. His baptism is an outward sign of their inward repentance. John knows that for people to have saving faith in Jesus Christ, they must first turn from their sins.

            So, I challenge you this Advent to come to Confession. We have two weeks left of Confessions every Monday, Thursday, and Saturday at this parish – surely we can make time! Maybe it’s been years, or even decades since you’ve been. Maybe you’ve stayed away because you have a big sin you can’t bear to confess, or perhaps you had a bad experience in confession that has kept you away. Maybe you don’t think you need it. But regardless of the reason for staying away from Confession, this Advent we must come to Him with hearts free from sin. I guarantee that no one who approaches the Sacrament of Confession will regret it! Rather, there is such profound freedom in laying down our messiness – the big stuff, the little daily stuff, and everything in between. One of the greatest joys I have as a priest is watching the relief, joy, healing, and freedom wash over people when they have made a good and holy Confession.

            I mentioned, though, that there is one more way in which Christ will come – in glory at the end of time. This, too, requires forgiveness for sins. It is better to confess your sins in Confession when we encounter Christ as a merciful savior than to have your sins laid bare when Christ comes as a just judge. Do not wait – Confess this week or next week – so that we truly will be prepared when Christ comes to us in the Eucharist and in glory at the end of our lives!