Dear Brothers and Sisters,

Happy Advent tide! Here we are already beginning week two and the glow of our advent wreath is growing ever brighter!

We begin this week’s gospel with a little bit of world history. St. Luke gives us a context to the beginning of the mission of John the Baptist and ultimately that of Jesus.

I always liked studying history as a kid. I especially liked ancient history. For my twelfth birthday one of my aunts had given me a time-line map of world history that I hung on the wall of my bedroom. It listed most of the biggest events that took place in the world all around the globe starting from the first moments of recorded history. It marked the rise and fall of kings, the building of the wonders of the ancient world, amazing historical events and the births and deaths of the world’s greatest historical leaders. Funny enough, what it didn’t list was the life of God’s people. It neglected the prophets and Moses, the great Exodus and ultimately the life and death of Jesus. I found that rather disappointing so naturally, being a pretty precocious kid, I took matters into my own hands. With a black magic marker, I wrote those in myself. Why not? How could they have left God out of history? After all, it is HIS-STORY.

In our gospel this week, St. Luke is making a very important statement as he begins this chapter. It’s meant to make us sit up and take notice, unfortunately we often overlook these facts as random historical anecdotes. But they are important. St. Luke is trying to make clear the fact that in this specific moment in history, as with all that has gone before in time, God’s hand is specifically at work and his plan is actively unfolding. This moment, while the rest of the world’s powers were seemingly in charge and making their own history, the very author of history itself was unfolding his plan that would profoundly change all recorded time. And it was not with a very human endeavor like constructing a building or monument, or the earthly reign of a king or politics of a particular people. No! God is quietly preparing the way for his Son who will fulfill the divine plan of salvation. This is something completely new and unfathomable. John is part of this plan. He is the new Elijah. The prophet coming out of the Judean desert, where his predecessor was taken up in a whirlwind, and he echoes the prophetic voice of Isaiah that God is with his people and that he has come with such power that even the valleys and mountains will be made low or filled in. God who is mighty will do these things in order to show his love for his people and as a sign of his plan at work.

Last week our Gospel started our season carrying over the theme of keeping our eyes fixed on what really counts; heaven. And we were told to hold our heads up and stand tall, to not be afraid. Our theme comes to fruition this week, with God’s plan unfolding in the midst of the history of the world. Our God has already sent his Son, whom we believe in. God has begun the work of salvation.  We await the anniversary of his Son’s birth, the proof of his plan set in motion before time began. Because of this we truly have nothing to fear. Our God is always with us!

Happy Advent,

Fr. Steve