Advent Season / 2nd Sunday
The Gospel for the 2nd Sunday of Advent has John the Baptist warning us to repent. But, isn’t repenting what we do at Lent? Why do we also have an Advent call to repentance? These two repentance seasons actually differ. With Lent, we look at all the ways we have added “stuff” in our lives that prevents us from being faithful followers of Jesus. Where have we sinned, in big ways and small ways? What have we added and substituted for God?
Advent repentance is different. Advent reminds us that even if Lent were successful such that all our sin and all our God substitutes were removed, then we STILL won’t be happy. We still will not be whole and complete. Why not? Because God created us that way. As St. Augustine said, "Our hearts are restless Lord until they rest in you." Advent repentance reminds that nothing created can make us whole in any definitive way. And nothing will. At least not while we walk earth as a human being. Given the flurry of gift-buying every December, isn’t it ironic what this Advent season calls us to remember?
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Mahalo.