The Catholic Calendar for Sunday, December 5, 2004
Second Sunday of Advent

Scripture from today's Liturgy of the Word:
Isaiah 11:1-10
Psalm 72:1-2,7-8,12-13,17
Romans 15:4-9
Matthew 3:1-12

A reflection on today's Sacred Scripture:

I am baptizing you with water for repentance....
He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire.

St. John the Baptist encourages souls to repent, to make straight the way for Christ's kingdom of Spirit and fire to be theirs. The repentant soul turns from the chaff of sin to hasten a straight path for the Lord to come to it. St. John the Baptist warns each of us in his chiding the Pharisees and Sadducees, that it is not his "baptism of repentance" that will achieve salvation, any more than heritage with Abraham. 'Produce good fruit as evidence of your repentance' he advises, as '..every tree that does not bear good fruit will be cut down and thrown into the fire.' We must be 'His wheat that He will gather into His barn," not "the chaff that He will burn with unquenchable fire."

We repent, leaving the chaff of life that is not of Christ. We become food for other souls as His wheat of truth, charity, love, healing, peace and good. The Eucharistic presence we become in Christ for others is the same incarnation He presented to the Father on the altar of the humble stable at Bethlehem, at the last supper and finally on the cross of sacrifice. As we prepare for the anniversary of His incarnation in time, Christ Mass, may we see His plan for us, as in the Virgin Mary, is to conceive Him, vigilantly ponder in prayer our union, and hasten to present Him to all in the loving service of our lives.

O come let us adore Him.

- Mary Williams
(www.impactbydesign.biz)

posted by joachim at 6:32 AM