Baruch 5, 1-9; Psalm 126; Philippians 1, 4- 6. 8-11; St. Luke 3, 1-6
Brothers and Sisters in Christ,
John the Baptist is the figure of Advent, this season of preparation for the coming of the Lord, for he prepares the path of the Redeemer in the fulfillment of Isaiah's prophecy:
"The voice of one crying in the wilderness: Prepare the way of the Lord, make his paths straight. Every valley shall be filled, and every mountain and hill shall be brought low, and the crooked shall be made straight, and the rough ways shall be made smooth; and all flesh shall see the salvation of God." (Isaiah 40. 3-5)
The Word became flesh for us in order to save us by reconciliating us with God, who "loved us and sent his Son to be the expiation for our sins": "the Father has sent his Son as the Savior of the world," and "he was revealed to take away sins": (1 Jn 4. 10; 4. 14; 3. 5)
The Word became flesh so that thus we might know God's love (CCC 458) to be our model of holiness (CCC 459) and to make us "partakers of the divine nature" (CCC 460)
I look forward to meeting you here again next week as, together, we "meet Christ in the liturgy," Father Cusick (See also paragraphs 535, 719, 720, 1224 in the CCC.)
It is for the sake of conferring upon all of humanity the state of grace that
the Eternal One will be born as God-with-us.
A state of grace is the
evidence that we have indeed received him.
For this “preparation” which
God commands of us we have sacramental confession, when in a state of
mortal sin so that we might return to the state of grace thus lost, and
Communion together with holy Mass for the regular upbuilding and growth of the
state of grace, the Kingdom of God within.
I look forward to meeting you here again next week as, together, we "meet Christ in the liturgy," Father Cusick (See also paragraphs 535, 719, 720, 1224 in the CCC.)
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