JOHN, THE FORECASTER

Second Sunday of Advent

Is.40:1-5,9-11; Ps.85; 2Pt.3:8-14; Mk.1:1-8, Cycle B

For the past few days, all our eyes have been brought to the eye of typhoon Ruby. Occupying our television screen is the hourly update of the track and intensity of the typhoon. Thanks to the different weather forecast stations here and abroad for supplying us with the most needed information for us to be better equipped and prepared as we await for Ruby's landfall. Thus, we realize the importance of weather forecasting here in our country which is very vulnerable to occasional typhoons from the great Pacific.

We are now in the Second Sunday of Advent. In our Gospel today, we heard of a "forecaster" in the person of John the Baptist. However, John is not providing us with an hourly update of typhoon Ruby. Rather, he is preaching in the wilderness of the coming of the Messiah, who can calm every storm and banish any fear in life-Jesus the Christ.

Now we ask ourselves, who is John the Baptist? Our readings today provide us with an answer. In our second reading taken from the second letter of Peter, the Apostle admonishes his friends that "while waiting for this (the day of the Lord), make every effort to be found without stain or defilement, and at peace in his sight." This admonition is true in the life of John the Baptist. He was the precursor of Jesus and while waiting for his coming, he spent his life purifying it from stain and consecrating it to the Lord. And this truth is vividly described in our Gospel when Mark said that "John was clothed in camel's hair, and wore a leather belt around his waist. His food was grasshoppers and wild honey." His life was as an anticipation, a preparation for the coming day of the Lord.

In our first reading taken from the book of Isaiah, the Prophet tells us of "a voice crying out in the wilderness, “make straight in the wasteland a highway for our God!." This voice is fulfilled in our Gospel when John "appeared in the desert proclaiming a baptism of repentance which led to the forgiveness of sins." He did not preach about himself but about the Lord who is more powerful than he and who will baptize the people in the Holy Spirit.

From our readings we realize two things about John the Baptist. First, he himself prepared for the coming of the day of the Lord. He consecrated his life to his mission as the precursor of the Messiah. Second, after his preparation, he announced to all peoples about the coming of the Lord. From these realizations, we are then challenged in this second Sunday of Advent to be like John the Baptist!

Yes, we are all waiting for Christmas Day. Yet the season of Advent also reminds us that we are also waiting for the second coming of Christ. Hence, we are in a period of waiting, of preparing for the coming day of the Lord. Thus, like John, we have also to prepare ourselves. We have to consecrate ourselves to the Lord not by wearing a camel's hair or eating grasshoppers and wild honey but by putting on humility and filling ourselves with God's mercy and compassion.

Like John who proclaimed to his people, we, too, are called to proclaim the coming of the Lord not by word of mouth but by life witness. If you notice, disaster preparedness always involves reminding us with the basic preparations like securing our homes, setting aside food and medicine, staying indoors, etc. The same is true in our Christian life, we announce to others the coming of the Lord by reminding them of the basics - to love, to forgive, to give, to share, to help, to pray, etc.

Weather forecasting especially in our country has been known to always fail probably because of our poor equipment and lack of budget. However, John's "forecasting" was effective because he himself practiced what he preached. He himself prepared the way of the Lord. Our preaching too will also be effective if in the very first place we "walk the talk."

May we learn from the man named, John. May we practice what he preached - "Repent and prepare the way of the Lord for he is near!" Amen!