2nd Sunday in Advent (Year A) December 8, 2019

Matthew 3:1-12

3 In those days John the Baptist appeared in the wilderness of Judea, proclaiming, ² “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven has come near.”^{[a] 3} This is the one of whom the prophet Isaiah spoke when he said,

“The voice of one crying out in the wilderness:
‘Prepare the way of the Lord,
    make his paths straight.’”

⁴ Now John wore clothing of camel’s hair with a leather belt around his waist, and his food was locusts and wild honey. ⁵ Then the people of Jerusalem and all Judea were going out to him, and all the region along the Jordan, ⁶ and they were baptized by him in the river Jordan, confessing their sins.

⁷ But when he saw many Pharisees and Sadducees coming for baptism, he said to them, “You brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the wrath to come? ⁸ Bear fruit worthy of repentance. ⁹ Do not presume to say to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham as our ancestor’; for I tell you, God is able from these stones to raise up children to Abraham. ¹⁰ Even now the ax is lying at the root of the trees; every tree therefore that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.

¹¹ “I baptize you with water for repentance, but one who is more powerful than I is coming after me; I am not worthy to carry his sandals. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire. ¹² His winnowing fork is in his hand, and he will clear his threshing floor and will gather his wheat into the granary; but the chaff he will burn with unquenchable fire.”

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I am the voice of one crying out in the wilderness, ‘Make straight the way of the Lord,’

John 1:23

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Commentary: In this week’s Gospel Reading and next week’s, our Advent preparation for Christmas invites us to consider John the Baptist and his relationship to Jesus. In this week’s Gospel, Matthew describes the work and preaching of John the Baptist.  John the Baptist appears in the tradition of the great prophets of Israel, preaching repentance and reform to the people of Israel. In fact, the description of John found in this reading is reminiscent of the description of the prophet Elijah (2 Kings 1:8). In this reading, John directs a particularly pointed call to repentance to the Pharisees and Sadducees, parties within the Jewish community of the first century.  John marks the conversion of those who seek him out with a baptism of repentance. Other groups in this period are thought to have practiced ritual washings for similar purposes, and John’s baptism may have been related to the practices of the Essenes, a Jewish sect of the first century. John’s baptism can be understood as an anticipation of Christian baptism. In this passage, John himself alludes to the difference between his baptism and the one yet to come: “I am baptizing you with water, for repentance . . . He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire.” (Matthew 3:11).   John’s preaching of the coming of the Lord is a key theme of the Advent season. As John’s message prepared the way for Jesus in the first century, we, too, are called to prepare ourselves for Jesus’ coming. We respond to John’s message by our repentance and reform of our lives. We are also called to be prophets of Christ, who announce by our lives, as John did, the coming of the Lord.

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Questions:

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Words to the Song – Good Vibes by Chris Janson

I ain’t watchin’ TV today/ Bad news, it can just stay away/ If you ain’t got anything good to say / Then shut your mouth.

I got my windows down and my blinders on / Radio set to my favourite song/ All green lights on the road I’m on / And there’s ain’t no doubt

I’m getting’ them good vibes / I’m livin’ this good life / I’m breathin’ on God’s time /

And I ain’t gonna waste one breath / I’m soakin’ it all up

I got me a full cup / And there ain’t nothing spill it / Nothin’ gonna kill it

Wavin’ them worries goodbye / I’m feelin’ them good vibes

I ain’t tryna hear the negative (nope) / I’m just tryna change the narrative / Hell, it’s simply imperative / And we all have a damn good time

I’m getting’ them good vibes / I’m livin’ this good life / I’m breathin’ on God’s time /

And I ain’t gonna waste one breath / I’m soakin’ it all up

I got me a full cup / And there ain’t nothing spill it / Nothin’ gonna kill it

Wavin’ them worries goodbye / I’m feelin’ them good vibes

I gotta good girl, she got a good smily / I kiss her good morning, I kill her goodnight

We keep it on the up, that’s how we get down / So don’t be comin’ around

Unless you go them good vibes

I’m getting’ them good vibes / I’m livin’ this good life / I’m breathin’ on God’s time /

And I ain’t gonna waste one breath / I’m soakin’ it all up

I got me a full cup / And there ain’t nothing spill it / Nothin’ gonna kill it

Wavin’ them worries goodbye / I’m feelin’ them good vibes

I’m getting’ them good vibes / I’m livin’ this good life / I’m breathin’ on God’s time /

And I ain’t gonna waste one breath / I’m soakin’ it all up

I got me a full cup / And there ain’t nothing spill it / Nothin’ gonna kill it Wavin’ them worries goodbye / I’m feelin’ them good vibes

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Visio Divina

1.Visio (See) Look at the art. What do you see? What is happening?

2.Meditatio (Meditate) How does it make you feel?

3.Lectio (Read, Context) Read the Gospel passage above. Read the Commentary above. How does the painting correspond with the Gospel? Consider following:

• The posture of John the Baptist
• His right hand
• The banner (It probably says “the lamb of God” in Latin)
• Red cloak
• The rugged landscape
• The mood created by the sky

4.Oratio (Pray) Silently sit with this image opening yourself up to the flow of the Holy Spirit.

5.Contemplatio (Ponder) How is God speaking to you in this Visio Divina? Share your thoughts by writing them or telling them.

6. Operatio (Act) Because of this Visio Divina, what acts or changes in thinking do you want to happen in your life?

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Visio Divina Links on CARFLEO

Advent Art on CARFLEO