Today we are introduced, as we always are on the 2nd Sunday of Advent, to John the Baptist.
John is an interesting character. Jesus says he is the fulfilment of prophesy that said Elijah would return before the Messiah appeared. Jesus said: For all the Prophets and the Law prophesied until John. And if you are willing to accept it, he is the Elijah who was to come. Remember, Elijah was taken from the earth without dying in a chariot of fire and Malachi prophesied that he would return before the day of destruction:
“See, I will send the prophet Elijah to you before that great and dreadful day of the Lord comes. He will turn the hearts of the parents to their children, and the hearts of the children to their parents;.
John was a firebrand – a loose canon you might say – calling the religious leaders a brood of vipers when they came out to see what he was doing. John challenged Herod for taking his brother’s wife – for which he would be imprisoned and later killed by being beheaded as part of a promise by Herod in return for a dance to entertain his guests. John feared no one. John had his own band of disciples. But something else about John the Baptist that we see in our reading today – he knew his place. He knew that he was not the Messiah and that he had been sent to prepare the way for him and not get in his way.
Jesus was the hope of the world – not John the Baptist. And so, as the crowds grew and the temptation to take over came, John proclaims to the crowds: The one who is more powerful than I is coming after me; I am not worthy to stoop down and untie the thong of his sandals. I have baptized you with water; but he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit. Later he will add to that – I must decrease so that he can increase.
So John saw his life as a life of humility accepting what God had predestined for him – including the popularity, humility and suffering. Even Jesus must have tested John’s humility when he said that even though there was none on earth greater than John, the least person in Heaven is greater than John the Baptist. So John saw his life as predestined by God; including the suffering and humility. That doesn’t mean that John didn’t find it difficult at times – and who doesn’t during times of suffering. When he was in prison John sent a delegation of his disciples to ask Jesus – are you the one or should we expect someone else. And maybe you’ve felt that way in times of suffering.
Is following Jesus all that it’s cracked up to be? Times of suffering can be challenging to our faith. In times of suffering one day of suffering can feel like a thousand years, as St Peter says. In times of suffering we can ask – why is God doing this. I’ve prayed for healing but nothing’s happened. In these days when there is so much turmoil and unrest in the world we can also ask – why doesn’t God do something about it. At least, why doesn’t he send Jesus now to bring about the end of the world. It’s one of the great mysteries and St Peter also addresses this when he says – With the Lord one day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years are like one day. The Lord is not slow about his promise, as some think of slowness, but is patient with you, not wanting any to perish, but all to come to repentance.
But Peter also says – the end will come – and it will come at a time when we aren’t expecting it: And if we think our earthly days are challenging – The day of the Lord will come like a thief, and then the heavens will pass away with a loud noise, and the elements will be dissolved with fire, and the earth and everything that is done on it will be disclosed. In fact it sounds quite frightening – Since all these things are to be dissolved in this way, what sort of persons ought you to be in leading lives of holiness and godliness, waiting for and hastening the coming of the day of God, because of which the heavens will be set ablaze and dissolved, and the elements will melt with fire? But it comes with really really good and promising news – In accordance with his promise, we wait for new heavens and a new earth, where righteousness is at home.
Very similar to what John says in Revelation 21 where he sees a new heaven and a new earth, where there will be no more death’ or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away. God will live with his people and he will be our God. So whereas life can sometimes seem longsuffering, Peter is encouraging us to stay strong in our faith. God hasn’t forgotten us.
Peter was writing to a persecuted Christian community who had to flee to encourage them that God had not forgotten them. They are called the diaspora – the dispersed ones.
God has a new life prepared for us. We don’t always understand why suffering is allowed particularly when we are so faithful to God as John the Baptist was – as the Christians Peter was writing to were. Israel also wondered whether God had forgotten her when she was sent into exile and was taunted by the Babylonians – “Where is your God”. But God’s words to Israel are the same words spoken to us in the midst of our suffering:
Comfort, O comfort my people, says your God. The glory of the Lord shall be revealed, and all people shall see it together, for the mouth of the Lord has spoken. The grass withers, the flower fades; but the word of our God will stand for ever. And especially those closing words of comfort: lift up your voice with strength, O Jerusalem, herald of good tidings, Lift it up, do not fear; “Here is your God!” See, the Lord God comes with might, and his arm rules for him; his reward is with him, and his recompense before him. He will feed his flock like a shepherd; he will gather the lambs in his arms, and carry them in his bosom, and gently lead the mother sheep.
So as we continue our Advent journey remember that God comes to us in the most vulnerable of forms – an infant baby. He will go on to experience all that we experience in life and more. But one day, like a thief in the night, he will return and bring us home to our new heaven and new earth. So until then, as difficult as the seeming slowness of our Lord can be – his slowness is his patience wanting more to enjoy the heavenly peace that awaits. And that patience includes our friends and our family who do not yet know or understand how much God loves them. So he calls on us to regard the patience of our Lord as salvation. Not for us – our salvation is secured – but for the world, our friends and family that God is reaching out to.
