Homily for the Second Sunday of Advent, Year C.

(Ba 5, 1-9)

(Ps 125 (126), 1-2ab, 2cd-3, 4-5, 6)

(Ph 1, 4-6.8-11)

(Lk 3, 1-6)

Brothers and sisters, on this second Sunday of Advent, it’s easy to understand how the Church prepares its children for the Christmas season just as it prepares them for Easter. Let’s admire the unity of God’s call to us today. It’s as if we were on a Lenten Sunday. In the first reading, for example, we hear the voice of the prophet proclaiming: “Jerusalem, put off your robe of sorrow and misery, and put on the finery of God’s glory forever, (…) For God has decided that the high mountains and the everlasting hills shall be brought low, and the valleys filled in”. To this call, the prophet John the Baptist responds in the Gospel, insisting: “Prepare the way of the Lord, make straight his paths. Every ravine will be filled, every mountain and hill will be made low”.

In the Lenten season, images of suffering and calls for deprivation help us to understand the urgent need to change our lives, our minds, in short, to convert. Advent is no less demanding for this change of heart, this conversion. Indeed, if we are to experience this communion with the One who comes at Christmas, we must let Him see our readiness to welcome Him into a heart that regrets its past life held far from the love of others and of Himself, its past life marked by indifference and solitude. As Christmas approaches, it’s essential that we prepare ourselves not only with outward gestures, but also with a genuine inner renewal. The hope that Advent offers us is an invitation to transformation. By opening our hearts and freeing ourselves from the attachments that distance us from God and others, we can fully welcome the light that is coming. This path of preparation is not only a call to joy, but also a gesture of love towards those closest to us, committing us to being instruments of peace and reconciliation. So let us be guided by God’s word and grace, so that our Christmas celebration is an authentic reflection of the divine love that gives itself to us. May this time of waiting be blessed and, by giving us the strength to change, may it bring us closer to the One who loves us unconditionally. With this in mind, let’s reflect on how we can embody this transformation in our daily lives. Every gesture, every prayer and every interaction can become a means by which we offer living witness to our faith and our desire for conversion. Thus, by cultivating an open heart and attentive mind, we will be able to perceive the miracles of Christmas not only in the beautiful traditions that accompany it, but also in our relationships renewed and enriched by love. So let us celebrate Advent as the beginning of a journey towards a fullness of love, peace and joy in our lives and in the lives of those around us. This Advent season invites us to reflect deeply on our way of life, on our daily choices, and on how we can reflect Christ’s light in this sometimes-dark world. As we approach Christmas, let’s make this commitment a priority: not only for ourselves, but for our families, our friends, and even those we meet in our daily lives. May we be artisans of hope, sowing seeds of kindness and understanding around us. May every act of charity we perform be a song of love raised to heaven and may every moment of prayer strengthen our bond with the divine. Let us open our arms to those who suffer, and our hearts to the miracles of human relationships, for it is in this dynamic that the true essence of Christmas lies. Let us establish this time of preparation as a pathway for spiritual growth, where peace and joy can blossom and transport us to new horizons, amen.

Rev. Joseph Kinda