Second Sunday of Advent The Season of Advent: We began our new church year last week with the season of Advent.  Advent means "coming."  During Advent, we prepare for the coming of God's kingdom and for the feast of Christmas.  During this Advent season, the changes that are seen on the altar are most evident with the color of the priests' vestments, which are now purple, and the presence of the Advent Wreath, with its four candles- 3 purple and one pink, with the pink candle representing ‘hope,' for the coming of the  Messiah is imminent.  Our readings during this holy season point to the coming of God's chosen one and remind the reader to prepare for this great event. First Reading: Isaiah 1:1-10         Today's first reading presents the prophet Isaiah's description of an ideal king.  This king will spring from the line of David, son of Jesse.  At the time this passage was written, the people of Israel were going through a very critical period in their history.  The king at that time, King Ahaz, became unfaithful to Israel's covenant relationship with God.  He would not obey the prophet's word and allowed the southern kingdom of Judah to submit to Assyrian rule.  King Ahaz should have trusted in God, but in failing to do so, the people also drifted away from their loyalty to Yahweh.  Many of Yahweh's followers fell into despair, thinking that God had forgotten his promises to their ancestors.         Isaiah's words bring hope to a discouraged people.  He reminds them that they are God's people, and that long ago God promised to send them a Messiah who would deliver them from all their fears.  His reign would bring them justice and peace.  This Messiah or "Anointed One" would offer the gifts of piety, wisdom and understanding, counsel and strength, knowledge and fear of the Lord.  We recognize these qualities as the gifts of the Holy Spirit.        We, too, can easily fall into despair when stress and pressures of daily life seem to overwhelm us.  But the God of hope is within our reach, and indeed is within each of us, if we but believe and trust in him to guide us on the path to peace.  This is the message of hope that Isaiah extends to all who believe. Second Reading: Romans 15:4-9                 In today's letter to the Roman converts, we hear one of the most beautiful lessons that St, Paul teaches in his letters.  Paul teaches that we should welcome other people and accept them as Jesus did.  That includes people of every race, nationality, and creed.  There is no room for hate and prejudice in this picture.             Paul points out that the Hebrew Scriptures refer to Christ as the fulfillment of the promise of the "One who is to come."  Many of the converts in Rome were Jews who were knowledgeable of the Hebrew sacred scriptures and who would have understood that Paul was telling them that Jesus was the fulfillment of the promise made to Abraham.  He emphasizes that Jesus' act of salvation on the cross was not only intended for the Jewish people, but for the Gentiles as well.           Isaiah, in the first reading, envisions a future harmony among all the people made possible by the reign of a Davidic king.  St. Paul is telling the Romans that because of their belief in Christ, that harmony was now possible as they lived out their everyday lives.          Ethnic and religious barriers have to be eliminated if we are to live in harmony with one another.  Paul emphasizes this in verse 6: "...that with one accord you may with one voice glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ." Matthew 3:1-12          John the Baptist is known as "a voice crying out in the desert."  He was not afraid to tell his followers to change their ways and to get ready for the Messiah.  He tells his listeners to reform, repent, and to turn away from sin.  This message is very timely and appropriate for today's world.           In this holy season of Advent, we prepare to welcome the Christ Child into our hearts at Christmas.  The best preparation for this event begins by heeding the words of John the Baptist to repent of our sins and to reform (or change) our lives.          Jesus alone is the one who can judge our sincerity of heart and can discern if our repentance is authentic or not.  We prove that we wish to change our lives when we do good works and put our faith into practice.  There are many injustices in this world that need our attention: prejudices, racism, excessive consumerism- how many ‘high-tech' toys do we really need?          One of the best ways to celebrate Advent is by becoming a peacemaker beginning without immediate family and extending into the workplace and the local community.  Peace does not just happen; it is the result of a continuous effort of leading a life that is completely in step with the divine ideals that were handed down to us in the Gospels.  What better time than now to begin our life anew- with a better attitude, a more forgiving and generous heart, a deeper humility- in this season of Advent, the beginning of a new church year.  This season leads us into the joy of Christmas.  When our hearts are open to God and we are eager to discover his ideals, then there will be great joy in our lives year-round! -Sunday, December 9, 2007