Second Sunday Of Advent

Gospel:

Luke 3:1-6

After two chapters about the conception, birth, infancy, and growth of Jesus and John the Baptizer, Luke gives an example of his intention stated in the introduction to his gospel, "to write a systematic account" of events concerning Jesus. He begins as all four gospels begin after their introductions - with the ministry of John the Baptizer. Luke however differs from the other three gospels by placing John's ministry within a precise historical setting. He sets the Baptizer's ministry in the fifteenth year of Tiberius Caesar.Tiberius ruled the Roman Empire from 14 A.D. to 37 A.D. His fifteenth year would be 29 A.D.

Luke mentions other rulers who were appointed by the Emperor or by the Roman Senate. Pontius Pilate, so notorius to Christians that he is forever mentioned in the Apostles' Creed. He was prefect ofJudea from 26-36 A.D. Herod the Tetrarch ofGalilee was one of the sons of Herod the Great. He is known to history as Herod Antipas. In Mark, Luke, and Matthew he is the murderer of John the Baptizer. In Luke's gospel this Herod also has a role in the Passion Narrative, when Pilate sends the now prisoner Jesus to Herod Antipas for judgment or advice. Luke mentions Antipas' brother Philip as tetrarch of regions north ofGalilee. This was the area, significantly outside traditional boundaries of the "Holy Land/' where Jesus proclaimed his Church founded on Simon Peter, the Rock. Of the tetrarch Lysanias, mentioned next, we know next to nothing.

Perhaps most importantly Luke mentions two high priests, Annas and Caiaphas. Luke's knowledge of Jewish practice, law, custom, and history is sometimes a bit fuzzy.Thus he writes that the Baptizer⁹ s ministry began "during the high priesthood of Annas and Caiaphas." There were no "co-high priests." Annas was high priest from 6-15 A.D. His son-in-law Caiaphas was high priest from 18-37. Annas however seems to have been the controlling factor who ruled behind the scenes while his son-in-law was high priest. Both these high priests have a notorious role in Jesus' condemnation and death.

After listing this gallery of historical figures, Luke arrives at the main point - the minis­try of the Baptizer preparing the way for his Lord. Luke designates John as a prophet by using a standard introduction used of Old Testament prophets, "The word of God came to John son ofZechariah in the desert," (the southern Judean wilderness). Luke indicates that the Baptizer's ministry was not just in one or two places, but "the whole region of the Jordan." This would include from Galilee in the north to the wilderness ofJudea in the south. To describe John's ministry Luke adopts and adapts an oracle from the prophet we call Second Isaiah. This unknown prophet ministered to the exiled Israelites in Babylon (Iraq today) about 540 B.C. His oracles constitute the Book of Consolation, Isaiah 40-55.

That ancient prophet heard a voice telling him to prepare the way of the Lord (Yahweh). The Lord was expected to deliver his people from exile and return them to the land of their ancestors, the Holy Land. The voice uses poetic language which reminds us of the construction of a modem super highway through the desert - valleys filled, mountains lowered, ground surface leveled, rough places smoothed. Luke gives new meaning to the words of this prophet. The ancient prophet was to prepare the way for the Lord Yahweh. The newly designated prophet, John, is to prepare the way for the Lord Jesus.

Luke is following the general direction of the Gospel of Mark from which he was copying, sometimes word for word- Sacred Plagiarism! Mark's quote stopped at "making paths straight" for the Lord. Only Luke extends the quote to include words which express a major theme of his gospel and his Acts of Apostles - universal salvation. The Gentiles, all nations, are included in the salvation which the Baptizer proclaims. Thus Luke quotes from Isaiah, "All flesh shall see the salvation of God." How similar to a theme of the Great Commission in Matthew, "Go therefore and make disciples of all nations." The Gospel of John expresses this theme in this way, "To all who received him, who believed in his name, he gave power to become children of God/⁹

First Reading

Baruch 5:1-9

This book is attributed to Baruch, secretary to the 6^th century B.C. Prophet Jeremiah. It was chosen as the first reading because it expresses the joy of expectation seen in Isaiah's Book of Consolation and in Luke's quote from that book noted above. Baruch too sees an end to the slavery of exile and a path to freedom. A delightful quote closes this first reading, ".. .for God is leading Israel with joy by the light of his glory, with his mercy and justice for company."

Second Reading

Philippians 1:4-6. 8-11

This reading accompanies today's gospel because of its theme of joy, found also in the gospel and the first reading, but also because of the words, "until the day of Christ Jesus." For Paul that meant the Parousia, the term used by early Christians for the return of Jesus at the end of time. By the inclusion of this expression, "the day of Christ Jesus" in the Advent Liturgy, it now means his first appearance, his birth in Bethlehem, the celebration of which the Advent Liturgy anticipates with joy and expectation.