Second sunday in Advent

WHO IS JOHN THE BAPTIST TODAY?

Today we celebrate the second Sunday in Advent. This Sunday is called John the Baptist Sunday. John the Baptist the forerunner of our Lord Jesus Christ came to prepare the way of the Lord. His message was: “The Lord is coming. Let us prepare the way”.

And today who is John the Baptist? We are John the Baptist. Like John the Baptist, we are asked to call out people to welcome the Lord our God.

John the Baptist message contained three important things namely 1. Calling 2. Healing 3. And living the message.

1. Calling:

Once a man was searching something under a hydro pole that was so bright, his neighbor who noticed that, went over and asked, “what are you looking for?’ The man said, ‘I lost my key’. So the man also joined him and the both began to search for the key. After an hour searching, the neighbor looked at him and asked, “by the way where did you loose your key?” the man said, “at home”. The man got mad and asked, “then why are you looking for it here?’

Then he said, “Because it is brighter here”.

They will always say, “search God where you have lost him”.

Some might have lost God in their marriage because they might have forgotten to renew their vows namely in good times and bad and in sickness and health, I will honor you and love you.

Some might have lost God in their children because they did not have enough time to be with their children especially with their teenage children.
Others might have lost God in their business and jobs because instead of enjoying what they do, they look at their jobs and people who were working with them as their enemies.

Then they come to church to find God but they get more stressed and depressed. Yes God should be found where we have lost him. John the Baptist invited people who lost God in their every day life. Dear friends when we help people to find God where they have lost Him, then we become John the Baptist today.

2. Healing

Once three Buddhist monks were traveling to a distant village to preach the message of Buddha and in order to reach the village, they had to cross a river. While they were standing at the banks of the river, they saw a beautiful woman standing and was afraid to cross the river, so one of the monks carried her on his shoulder and thus they all crossed the river. Then when they came back to the monastery, the other two monks went to every one and said what happened. Other monks came to him and asked, “We monks are not allowed to touch a woman and how come you carried a woman on your shoulder. The criticism went on and on for many days and one day the monk called everybody and said, “I did carry the woman on my shoulder but I left her behind many days ago but why are you all still carrying her?”

John the Baptist calling for healing made many people new and holy. They had the courage to leave behind their old way of life and say to others courageously, ‘we left behind the old life and moving forward to welcome the lord’. They all experienced complete healing. Dear friends, every time we help others to heal from their pain and suffering and give them courage to face their criticism that comes from their own family, friends and others, we become John the Baptist.

3. Living the Message:

Once a pious catholic had a neighbor who never practiced his faith. Every Sunday the Catholic went to Church and the neighbor went fishing. But the odd thing was, every Sunday, the man invited the catholic, ‘hi Joe, I am going fishing, are you going to join me” the man used to say, “I am going to Church”. It went on and on and then one day, the neighbor looked at Joe and asked, “Joe, every time I go fishing, I invite you but how come you never invited me to Church’ Joe could not say anything.

Living the message means helping others to know the love and kindness of God our father. When John the Baptist baptized people, He asked them to go out and help others to return to the Lord. And people helped each other and that is why a big crowd was always following John the Baptist.

Dear friends, when we help others to experience the Lord, then we become John the Baptist. Today the world needs Jesus; yes it needs His love a lot of love. So let us be John the Baptist and prepare the way of the lord. Amen.

Christ the king

CHRIST THE KING

Good morning every one. Today we celebrate the feast of Christ the king. Jesus who is our king and master and he died on the cross to bring back humanity to divine love.

Once there was a King who was famous for his judgment. He loved his people so much and he did everything for them. Milk and honey was flowing in his land. And one day, a man was brought before him. The man was accused of stealing and killing people; he was accused of destroying people’s life and property. The king listened to them all well and then he asked the man to say something but the man did not say a word, all he did was looking at the king. The king then granted justice saying, “This man was found guilty and I ordered him to be executed”. There was a deep silence because that was the first time a man was ever executed in his kingdom. Then the unexpected and extra ordinary thing happened. The king got up from the throne and took his king’s garment and robes and said to the people, “As a just king, I granted you all justice but now as the father of this man, I will take his place”.
The king said, “I will take his place and die”. This is called the summary of Christianity. Christ who is the king of all and just judge took our place and died for us all.

1. Christ the king said, “I am your servant and I came to serve and not to be served”. Servants were never treated well in those days and even today they are not respected. The owner of the house would call everybody by name and even he would call his dog with proper name but not his servant. Servants were never given names. They were their slaves and were treated miserably. And our Lord Jesus became a servant to humanity. In order to prove His service, He humbled himself and washed the feet of His disciples. And that is why God exalted Him above all else. Today we celebrate Him as our King and Messiah. When we serve others, when we do everything for the sake of humanity, then we will be exalted and we find meaning in everything we do, if not like a man once said, “I dig the ditch to make some money. I make the money, to buy some food and I buy food to get my strength and I get my strength to dig the ditch”, life will become meaningless.
2. Christ the king said, “I am the good shepherd and I feed my sheep with finest wheat. They know me and I call them by name. I came to look for the one sheep that was lost than the ninety-nine righteous people”. Once a tiny little sheep found a hole in the fence and through which he escaped. He went far away and forgot his way back. Then he realized that he was chased by a wolf. He ran and ran until the shepherd came and rescued him. Then he brought back to the fold. Then his friends came and advised him to repair or nail up the hole but he refused to do so. Yes, our lord gives us freedom to do everything and when we are in danger, He comes to rescue us. The freedom we have should help us to improve ourselves and others.
3. Christ the king says to the thief who said, “Please remember me in your kingdom”, “you will be with me in paradise this very day”. Our king is full of mercy and love. Today we need mercy a lot of mercy from our King.
Conclusion:
As we celebrate the feast of “Christ the king” today, let us celebrate our life. Let us also invite others to join us to celebrate the king who loves us unconditionally. Amen.