Gospel: Second Sunday of Advent

Today is the Second Sunday of Advent, and the Gospel reading for today will be lifted from the narrative of St Mark (tap here for the complete Mass readings from USCCB).

Today's passage is taken from the beginning of the Gospel According to St Mark. Unlike the synoptic Gospels of St Luke and St Matthew, St Mark's account does not include any details about Jesus' birth. Instead the Gospel of St Mark begins with the appearance of St John the Baptist in the desert. On this second Sunday of Advent, we are invited to reflect upon the role of St John the Baptist, who prepared the way for Jesus and the salvation that he would bring to the world.

St Mark's description of the appearance of St John the Baptist highlights his continuity with the Jewish prophetic tradition. St Mark combines quotations from the Old Testament books of Malachi, Isaiah, and Exodus. The description of St John the Baptist as an ascetic, living in the desert, clothed in camel hair, and eating locusts and wild honey, is reminiscent of the description of the prophet Elijah found in the Second Book of Kings. The people of Judea and Jerusalem flock to him, listening to his message of repentence and forgiveness; they also come to him to be baptized. St Mark's Gospel is clear, however, that St John the Baptist's role is only to prepare the way for another who will come, one who is greater than him.

Many scholars believe that the Gospels reflect the tension that likely existed between followers of St John the Baptist and disciples of Jesus. Each of the four Evangelists report on St John the Baptist's preaching and baptizing activity, and they each emphasize the importance of Jesus' own baptism. The four canonical Gospels also explain that St John the Baptist was sent to preach in preparation for another. In the Gospel of St Luke, the question is raised as to whether St John the Baptist was himself the Messiah. Just as in today's Gospel passage, however, St John the Baptist speaks quite explicitly that the Messiah was to come after him.

In today's reading, we hear St John the Baptist contrast his baptism of repentance with the baptism Jesus will inaugurate. St John says he has baptized with water, but that the one who is to come will baptize with the Holy Spirit. St John's baptism is not yet a Christian baptism, but a preparation for the institution of the Sacrament of Baptism through which sins are forgiven and the gift of the Holy Spirit is received.

St John the Baptist is presented to us as a model during Advent. We, too, are called upon to prepare a way for the Lord's second coming. Like St John's example, we are messengers in service to the one who is greater than we are. Our own Baptism commissions us to call others to life as willing disciples of Christ.

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