SECOND SUNDAY OF ADVENT

Readings: Baruch 5,1-9, Philippians 1.3-6,8-11, Luke 3.1-6

Sometimes when people point out something is wrong with us we can see what they’re saying, recognize it as true, but proceed to do nothing about it. We know from experience that insight doesn’t necessarily lead us to change. Recognizing the truth doesn’t compel us to alter our ways. Particularly when our self-esteem is injured, the truth can have the effect of paralyzing us rather than energizing us to action. So sometimes the prospect of what the change would involve disheartens us. We feel it's too much.

In today's reading we hear four voices encouraging people to imagine a good future that God has in store for them. They all invite us to imagine the best and then act accordingly. At the heart of these all is the voice of hope which encourages people to change their ways and row because good this will come of it. People are invited to imagine the best there is in God and in ourselves and get that best the opportunity to take charge of their lives.

People begin to change when they are encouraged to see the best in themselves, not when they are aside to dwell with the worst in themselves simply tell people what is wrong with the and leave it at that can be to leave them as a wreck. It is like leaving the scene of an accident. And people rarely change when they are left to themselves enclosed in their won weakness, starring at heir won mistakes.

We all need help and encouragement to leave behind familiar ways which have become destructive. We need help in imagining ourselves differently and imagining the good effect that will have on others. We have to take time to reflect what of person God wants us to be, what his plan for us, we need faith in the future, to see the power of God working the change. To have Paul’s certainty that God will not abandons in our halting efforts, but that the one who began this good work in you will see that is finished.

In all this we need each other's help and encouragement. To change we need others prodding us on “Go! You can do it! We need to call out the best in each other. If our community is to be constantly converted to the lord, we all have to breathe in encouragement and breathe t ours. Perhaps this advent we can exercise that encouragement in a simple, practical way. That will be a change for the better . In the words of St. Cardinal Newman” To be human is to change, to be perfect is to have changed often.