07 December 2024 – 2nd Sunday of Advent (Year C) (Sunset Mass)

by Fr Fabian Dicom

Advent is upon us. A sacred season of preparation. And it coincides beautifully with this Jubilee Year’s theme: Pilgrims of Hope. Advent is a journey of HOPE, one that invites us to prepare, not just for a single day, Christmas, but for the coming of Christ into our hearts and into our lives.

As we lit the candles of the Advent wreath and hear familiar carols, it is easy to get swept up in external preparations. I am sure you have heard this countless number of times but I will say this again. Decorations, shopping, meals and gatherings. Now these have their place but they are fleeting. They will pass.

Advent calls us to a deeper preparation, one that is lifelong and lifegiving. 

Now today’s Gospel brings us back to what truly matters. John the Baptist offers us the blueprint by expressing Prophet Isaiah. He says:
Prepare the path of the Lord, make straight His ways. Fill up the valleys, let the mountains and hills be brought low. The winding roads shall be made straight and the rough paths made smooth.

John’s words are not about preparing a perfect holiday or creating a flawless festive atmosphere. They are about making space for God. Making space for God in the clutter of our lives, the clutter of our hearts. They challenge us to ask:
Are we truly preparing a way for Christ?
Or have we become distracted by what is temporary and superficial?

Now in this Jubilee Year, as Pilgrims of Hope, we are reminded that Advent preparation is about clearing the path. Not just for ourselves but for others, ensuring that everyone has access to the hope and the joy that Christ brings.

Now let us be honest. Let us be honest. How many people today feel welcome into our churches? Far too often the Catholic Church is seen as an exclusive institution. Think about it. 

People in second marriages often don’t feel welcome.
Gay, lesbian and transgender people often feel excluded.
Perhaps people of different Christian denominations or faith might hesitate to enter our doors.
Unwed mothers, migrants and refugees, differently abled individuals, those who question and critique church practices, those not of the same social status, people in inter-faith and civil marriages.
Or those who feel they don’t meet the standards of ‘holiness‘ often feel alienated.

But is this the Gospel message? Is this what John the Baptist meant by leveling the mountains and filling the valleys? Or have we in our own ways decided who is in, who is out, who is up, who is down, who is right who is wrong? And therefore made the mountains higher and the valleys deeper.

Think about it.

Jesus did not come to create obstacles. He met people where they were, in their brokenness, in their sins and used their disposition as openings to draw them closer to God. And yet, how often do we turn religion into an obstacle course? We decide who is worthy of God’s love, who can approach the communion table, who cannot. But let me say this clearly:
None of us are worthy. None of us are worthy, not me, not you.

Worthiness is not the point. The Eucharist is not a reward for the perfect. Let us get that straight. It is nourishment for the hungry and the needy. It is nourishment for the unworthy, the sinner, for me and for you. It is a table of grace. This is to be a place of grace, not a place of exclusion.

John the Baptist’s call to prepare the way is not about perfection. It is about invitation. It is about ensuring that every one regardless of their past or present or their struggles has access to the hope and joy of Jesus Christ, our Lord and Master.

As we approach the Jubilee Year as Pilgrims of Hope, we must take up the task of clearing the path, not complicating it. This is a lifelong and lifegiving Mission, far more important than any temporary preparation for the single day like Christmas. Decorations fade. After a week you will forget about the 20 Christmas trees that are decorated here. Gifts are forgotten. Meals are digested.

But the work of opening our hearts to Christ, our work of helping others do the same is eternal, is lifelong.

The Good News of Advent is that God already loves us and how? Equally and forever. And you need to believe that. In whatever state you are in, equally and forever. There are not hoops to jump through, no tests to pass. God’s love extends to everyone in this church and believe it or not, to those outside it too.

Our task is to make sure all of them know it. To make sure the path is clear.

This advent, let us reflect on the ways we might be creating obstacles instead of removing them.

Are we holding grudges?
Are we judging others?
Are we clinging to pride?
And as a community, are we self-centered?
Are we doing things only for ourselves?
Is there room for others?
Think about all our preparations – the last few days and the days to come. These are the mountains that must be brought low.

And at the same time, we want to fill up the valleys to lift up the valleys. And how do we do that?

We reach out to the lonely.
We reach out to the marginalised, the forgotten.
Let us straighten the winding roads by simplifying our message.
And the message is:
God’s love is for everyone.

And if I can see that, if I can believe that, everything changes for me. My relationship with others, with my family, my friends, the stranger on the street, changes.

John the Baptist’s voice cries out in the wilderness, preparing the way for Christ. Today, that voice must be ours. That voice must proclaim God’s love for everyone. And as we journey through the season, let us not keep this Good News to ourselves. Let us invite others to the table, reminding them that they belong.

And as Pilgrims of Hope, let us journey together, clearing paths, walking alongside others and leading them to the One who is already standing and waiting with open arms.

Let us open wide the doors for Christ, not just for Christmas Day but for every day.

Amen.

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