A God of endurance and encouragement

December 9, 2007 -- Second Sunday of Advent

By Bishop Robert Morneau

	Bishop Robert Morneau
	Questions for reflection: 1. What is the central message of Advent for you? 2. In what ways are the visions of Isaiah, St. Paul, and John the Baptist similar? 3. How can you prepare the way of the Lord in the next several weeks?

The catalogs keep coming as Christmas nears; catalogs from cheese companies, candy companies, clothes companies and the list goes on. Marketing is the name of the game and the commercial world excels in this enterprise. Their message is "be prepared" for the holidays and make sure your gifts have been ordered.

A d v e n t Time of Preparation

Advent is a different type of marketing season. This liturgical season prepares us to celebrate the great mystery of the Nativity of our Lord. Come Dec. 25, our hearts will be ready for God's visitations if we heed the scriptures that direct us in the ways of the Lord.

Isaiah must have graduated magna cum laude from some marketing university. His message is poetic in style, rich in theology, and filled with tremendous hope. Isaiah speaks of a shoot that shall sprout from the stump of Jesse; Isaiah informs us of the Lord's Spirit - a spirit of wisdom, understanding, counsel, strength, knowledge and fear of the Lord; Isaiah describes the coming of an age when God's holy mountain will know only peace, no harm or ruin.

Were Isaiah alive today, he would use billboards, Web pages, and the Internet to get this message out there. It is a message of justice and faithfulness. We know that Jesus would be the one who would fulfill Isaiah's vision, incarnating the very faithfulness and justice of God. If we buy this vision and work vigorously to live it, we will be well prepared for the Christmas mystery.

St. Paul was also in sales, but his "product" was not things but relationships. St. Paul's concern was that Christ Jesus would be the center of the Christian life and that this relationship would lead to harmony with all people. The God that St. Paul speaks about is a God of endurance and encouragement. This God is one of truthfulness and mercy. The vision here is similar to that of Isaiah: a vision of harmony and unity. When that vision is lived then God is glorified.

Endurance and encouragement! These qualities are so necessary in this Advent season. Our culture is not noted for endurance and steadfastness; our culture, with its crass materialism, offers little reason for encouragement. Our challenge today is not to give up in our striving for holiness; our challenge is to pray for the gift of courage as we face the trials and sufferings of life. St. Paul was a master of perseverance and hope.

If Isaiah and St. Paul were master marketers, John the Baptist excelled them both. His message of repentance was clear and unequivocal. And that message was backed up by a lifestyle that gave evidence that the Kingdom of God was near at hand. We know that John the Baptist would give his life in proclaiming truth and justice. His baptism was one total consecration to the will of God.

The mantra for this Advent season is clear: "Prepare the way of the Lord, make straight his paths." If we embrace this imperative and produce good fruit, our Christmas celebration will be filled with joy and peace.

(Bishop Morneau is the auxiliary bishop of the Green Bay Diocese and pastor of Resurrection Parish in Allouez.)