Collect and Readings for Second Sunday of Advent – Isaiah 11.1-10, Psalm 72.1-7,18-19, Romans 15.4-13, Matthew 3.1-12
The Prayer for today
O Lord, raise up, we pray, your power and come among us, and with great might succour us; that
whereas, through our sins and wickedness we are grievously hindered in running the race that is set
before us, your bountiful grace and mercy may speedily help and deliver us; through Jesus Christ your
Son our Lord, to whom with you and the Holy Spirit, be honour and glory, now and for ever. Amen.
Before any real changes can take place in our spiritual development, we have to come to the point of recognising where we are and wanting it to be better. All addicts and their families are painfully aware of the necessity to acknowledge the addiction and find it unbearable before there is any real hope of kicking the habit. It is at this point when a situation finally becomes intolerable that we are galvanised into taking action to change things.
Living in exile, the people of Israel became acutely aware of their nation’s need for good leadership, justice, integrity and peace. In this week’s passage from Isaiah we sense their longing, as they look forward to God providing what they know they need. Typically, the prophecy was fulfilled in far greater measure, since the kingdom of justice, peace and love- the kingdom of God proclaimed by Jesus -is still growing throughout the entire world.
John the Baptist’s message of repentance once again recovered the urgency for people sorting their lives out, since the coming Messiah was imminent and they wanted to put things right and be ready, much as we might rush around clearing up the house before guests are due to arrive – especially those guests we want to impress, or those who we know will notice the clutter! Often the clearing will be something we know has needed doing for ages; the arrival of guests simply reminds us that it has to be done.
So what about all that spiritual clutter and grime which we know needs sorting? Today the Gospel helps to nudge us into urgent action, recognising that we don’t want things to stay as they are, and the effort of changing whatever needs changing is well worth it. God comes and knocks at the door of our hearts all the time- not just at the end of the world.
Some things to reflect on:
· Does our church’s outreach reflect a belief that God’s good news is for all, or for the few who ‘do it our way’?
· Is Isaiah’s righteous, just and compassionate living realistic, or simply a pipe-dream which can disillusion us?
God bless and stay safe and well.
Rev’d Fiona Robinson
