Our first reading from Isaiah (Isaiah 11:1–10) is hopefully familiar to those who have been through Confirmation as it is our source for the sevenfold gifts of the Spirit: wisdom, understanding, counsel, fortitude, knowledge, piety, and fear of the Lord (cf. Isaiah 11:2). Notice, however, that even when discussing the fear of the Lord, Isaiah tells that the Spirit of Lord resting on us will bring us joy or delight. Isaiah tells us, “And his delight shall be in the fear of the Lord.” We are not to think of God looking down on us disapprovingly with a big stick saying, “be good, or else.”
God desires to impart his good news to us. He offers us happiness and delight. To receive this spirit-filled joy, however, we must allow our hearts to be prepared and to accompany him as disciples. This requires our cooperation with his grace.
God calls each one of us be good for goodness’ sake. We must believe that God loves us and desires to share with us what is best for each one of us. It is only through God’s goodness that we discover true happiness and fulfillment, and genuine freedom. This comes about as the Holy Spirit changes from us within.
To understand our Gospel passage (Matthew 3:1–12) we must enter the world of the Bible. Today when we hear the word ‘Gospel’, we immediately think of the four “Gospels” of the New Testament and when we say ‘Scriptures’ we think of a Bible with 72 books. At the time of Jesus, the clever idea of creating a stack of rectangular pages and then sewing them together on the spine, is something that was still unknown for centuries. Our reading from Isaiah would have been on a scroll 145 feet long!
To understand our Gospel passage (Matthew 3:1–12) we must enter the world of the Bible. Today when we hear the word ‘Gospel’, we immediately think of the four “Gospels” of the New Testament and when we say ‘Scriptures’ we think of a Bible with 72 books. At the time of Jesus, the clever idea of creating a stack of rectangular pages and then sewing them together on the spine, is something that was still unknown for centuries. Our reading from Isaiah would have been on a scroll 145 feet long!
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| Fragments of the Great Isaiah Scroll from Qumran |
When the earliest Christians preached the good news or the “gospel” about Jesus Christ, they did so from the Old Testament Scriptures. The very term “preaching the good news” comes from the important second part of Isaiah 40–66 (especially 40:9; 52:7; 60:6; 61:1). The early Christians often used Scripture texts concerning the good news about Jesus, citing from Isaiah and the Psalms.
The second part of Isaiah (40–66) begins by talking a about a variety of ‘servants’ who will call all nations and peoples to return to Jerusalem and to submit to God’s reign and rule or kingdom on the earth. Soon, however Isaiah moves on to discuss one special Suffering Servant (Isaiah 42:1–4; 49:1–6; 50:4–11; and 52:13–53:12). Later in Matthew’s Gospel, Jesus is the Suffering Servant who “took away our infirmities and bore our diseases” (Matt 8:17 citing Isa 53:4). Matthew identifies the mission of Jesus with Isaiah 42:1–4 (Matthew 12:17–21).
Even our first reading from Isaiah 11 refers in part to the coming Messiah, who is “a shoot … from the stump of Jesse” upon whom the Spirit of the Lord rests. In Luke’s Gospel, Jesus identifies his mission with the sprit-filled Servant found in Isaiah 61 (Luke 4:14-30). Later in his mission as the Lord’s Servant, Jesus shares the promise of the Holy Spirit with his all his disciples (Acts 1:5, 2:4).
With this background in mind, Matthew tells us that a final messenger or forerunner will come to prepare the way for the Messiah. “John the Baptist appeared, preaching in the desert of Judea and saying, "Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand!” (Matthew 3:1). John’s message of repentance is the same message that Jesus will preach at the beginning of his ministry (Matthew 4:17).
The ministry of John the Baptist was foretold in Isaiah 40:3–5,
It was of him that the prophet Isaiah had spoken when he said:
A voice of one crying out in the desert,
Prepare the way of the Lord,
make straight his paths (3:3).
John the Baptist’s clothing and strange eating behavior identified him as a prophet like Elijah. The Catechism notes, “St. John the Baptist is the Lord’s immediate precursor or forerunner, sent to prepare his way. “Prophet of the Most High,” John surpasses all the prophets, of whom he is the last.” (CCC 523). John the Baptist’s birth and martyrdom are part of the Advent Liturgy’s presentation of ancient joyful expectancy of the Messiah (CCC 524).
John administered a baptism of repentance in which people acknowledged their sins and began to live a new life. Although perhaps experiencing a similar the process of conversion, Christian Baptism instituted by Jesus, was completely different from John’s earlier baptism of repentance. John acknowledges this in our Gospel reading. He notes that Jesus will baptize the Holy Spirit and fire (3:11). In Christian Baptism, we receive the grace of the forgiveness of sins through Jesus sacrifice on the cross (Acts 2:38), by the Holy Spirit and are joined to Christ and made part of his body (Galatians 3:27; Roman 6:5) and are adopted into his family.
Once again, the season of Advent is a time to celebrate the ancient family traditions of Jesus and recount the story of salvation history found in Sacred Scripture. Let us prayerfully join once again in Mary’s joyful expectation of the birth of the Messiah. We must prepare our hearts to receive him.
As we do so, let us pray with the church,
John administered a baptism of repentance in which people acknowledged their sins and began to live a new life. Although perhaps experiencing a similar the process of conversion, Christian Baptism instituted by Jesus, was completely different from John’s earlier baptism of repentance. John acknowledges this in our Gospel reading. He notes that Jesus will baptize the Holy Spirit and fire (3:11). In Christian Baptism, we receive the grace of the forgiveness of sins through Jesus sacrifice on the cross (Acts 2:38), by the Holy Spirit and are joined to Christ and made part of his body (Galatians 3:27; Roman 6:5) and are adopted into his family.
Once again, the season of Advent is a time to celebrate the ancient family traditions of Jesus and recount the story of salvation history found in Sacred Scripture. Let us prayerfully join once again in Mary’s joyful expectation of the birth of the Messiah. We must prepare our hearts to receive him.
As we do so, let us pray with the church,
Lord our God,
help us to prepare for the coming of Christ your Son.
May he find us waiting, eager in joyful prayer.
We ask this through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,
who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
God, for ever and ever.– Amen.
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