LK 3:1-6
All of us can identify with carrying something heavy and painful, and then being broken open as we face whatever it is in truth, bringing it before God. The beauty of the readings today is the confirmation that brokenness is not the end of the story! These readings are literally saturated in transformation, joy, and glory. Throughout the readings we have themes of transformation, joy is mentioned seven times, and glory is mentioned six times. In Baruch, Jerusalem exchanges a robe of mourning and misery for a cloak of justice from God. In the Gospel, repentance is the transforming power of forgiveness. In the psalm, tears are transformed into rejoicing. The images of being sent forth in weeping and returning in rejoicing are repeated over and over. How appropriate for Advent! What a beautiful invitation, wrapped up in a promise!
This is a promise that God will remember us in our Advent journey, if we are willing to do the tough work of honesty. In the middle of the passage from Baruch, we hear a verse echoed in our Eucharistic Prayer, “Gathered from the east and the west at the word of the Holy One, rejoicing that they are remembered by God.” We are invited to bring to God all of the best and worst of ourselves, and then trust that She will transform us into Her glory. St Irenaeus said, “The glory of God is human beings fully alive.” To be fully alive, to be the glory of our God, we must enter our Advent journeys willing to be broken, placing our hope in the coming of the One who transforms us!
All of us can identify with carrying something heavy and painful, and then being broken open as we face whatever it is in truth, bringing it before God. The beauty of the readings today is the confirmation that brokenness is not the end of the story! These readings are literally saturated in transformation, joy, and glory. Throughout the readings we have themes of transformation, joy is mentioned seven times, and glory is mentioned six times. In Baruch, Jerusalem exchanges a robe of mourning and misery for a cloak of justice from God. In the Gospel, repentance is the transforming power of forgiveness. In the psalm, tears are transformed into rejoicing. The images of being sent forth in weeping and returning in rejoicing are repeated over and over. How appropriate for Advent! What a beautiful invitation, wrapped up in a promise!
This is a promise that God will remember us in our Advent journey, if we are willing to do the tough work of honesty. In the middle of the passage from Baruch, we hear a verse echoed in our Eucharistic Prayer, “Gathered from the east and the west at the word of the Holy One, rejoicing that they are remembered by God.” We are invited to bring to God all of the best and worst of ourselves, and then trust that She will transform us into Her glory. St Irenaeus said, “The glory of God is human beings fully alive.” To be fully alive, to be the glory of our God, we must enter our Advent journeys willing to be broken, placing our hope in the coming of the One who transforms us!
Theresa Schafer is a Senior Theological Studies major and a Campus Ministry intern.
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