The Jordan River was the “gate” so to speak by which the people of Israel entered the promised land, as told in the book of Joshua. Just like they went through the waters of the Red Sea to be set free from slavery 40 yrs earlier, the Hebrew people go through the Jordan River. When the Messiah is finally among them, hiding and waiting, John the Baptist begins his work of preparing the way at the same Jordan River. He message is clear: he is calling us to conversion from sin through a baptism of repentance.
The Church brings us these readings today to remind us that Advent is not a time to slouch around. That petitionary prayer: “Come, Lord and save us!” is not permission for us to be lazy because God is going to fix everything.
Think of a child sitting on a couch watching television and calling to a parent to go get them some food or drink. They don’t want to get up and do the work. Just bring me this please.
That’s not Advent, friends. “Couch Christianity” is fake Christianity. We need to cooperate with God’s grace, as a bride dancing with her husband must be attentive and responsive to the movements of his lead.
For the next two and a half weeks of this season, and truly for the entire Christian life, that means always hearing again and again the call of Jesus (and first also the call of John the baptist): The Kingdom of Heaven is at hand, repent and believe in the Gospel.
Jesus, the long awaited Messiah, came to free us and save us, but from what? From our sins and the slavery it brings us. The only way to do this is to heal our hearts so that they can actually love. Every sin destroys a bit of the love and justice that the Lord’s kingdom is meant to embody and shine forth. We sometimes confuse sin with self-disgust, a sense of not measuring up to this idea of what we want to be. Sin is not the same as our human poverty - that we are creatures who need God every moment of every day. Jesus isn’t going to take away that need for Him, He only wishes to satisfy it for those who truly open themselves to it - precisely by turning away from sin and turning towards God. That is true conversion.
with the Lord one day is like a thousand years and a thousand years like one day… he is patient with you, not wishing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance. the day of the Lord will come like a thief. This is the second week in a row the readings mention the image of a thief, last week Jesus said it in the Gospel. This is a scary image. We won’t be ready. We will be surprised terribly if we aren’t trying to pay attention now. The urgency is clear.
In order that we don't become lazy in the spiritual life, it is helpful to make a daily practice of the examination of conscience or of some other technique for reviewing our lives. A different method, called the daily examen of St. Ignatius, is particularly powerful for finding God's hand at work in your life. I highly recommend this practice for "staying awake" and not turning into a "couch christian."
1. Become aware of God’s presence.
2. Review the day with gratitude.
3. Pay attention to your emotions.
4. Choose one feature of the day and pray from it.
5. Look toward tomorrow.
links to more info on the EXAMEN PRAYER: https://www.ignatianspirituality.com/ignatian-prayer/the-examen/
A DAILY EXAMINATION based on 7 capital sins: http://www.standrewsemporia.org/uploads/1/0/9/8/10980758/selfexamination.pdf
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