Second Sunday of Advent - December 4th. Second purple candle.

One theme all through the readings is heralding the advent of a Savior and patience in that waiting period; in Isaiah, it says '"...prepare the way of the LORD!" In the Letter of Peter it proclaims, "...waiting for and hastening the coming of the day of God..."


The Gospel of Mark talks about John the Baptist. How familiar he is, Father Bruce said--in a way, we understand him: his camel hair shirt, his shouting for repentance, his humility and certainty in saying that "One mightier than I is coming after me. I am not worthy to stoop and loosen the thongs of his sandals. I have baptized you with water; he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit." We are familiar with baptism, as the Catholic people it is our foundation. Yes, John is familiar.

Father told the story of blind people--in Switzerland, he seemed to recall--who couldn't obtain jobs. So this one brilliant man started a restaurant, run by the blind. Patrons went into a pitch black restaurant, led in by the blind. (See Blinde Kuh for more info--found what he was talking about pretty easily once I got home). He talked about how the people who had their sight all of a sudden was absolutely dependent on those who served them--to seat them, tell the patrons the menu, to cook, to serve--and that at first it can be very disconcerting. But if one has a little faith and trust in those who are serving, then it becomes an enjoyable and pleasurable experience.

Father likened this to what came after John the Baptist--Jesus the Christ. John, even with his eccentricities, is a familiar person. Jesus, however, is more enigmatic, and requires trust and faith. As with being served in pitch black by the blind, it takes trust and faith to do as Christ asks, as He teaches. Without faith, we are nothing, have nothing; without Faith, we have no hope. Hope, of course, centers within Christ.

How awesome to contemplate all that we have in the Son of God if we only trust!