Gospel
Jerusalem Bible © 1966 by Darton, Longman & Todd Ltd and Doubleday & Company Inc.
In the fifteenth year of Tiberius Caesar’s reign, when Pontius Pilate was governor of Judaea, Herod tetrarch of Galilee, his brother Philip tetrarch of the lands of Ituraea and Trachonitis, Lysanias tetrarch of Abilene, during the pontificate of Annas and Caiaphas the word of God came to John son of Zechariah, in the wilderness. He went through the whole Jordan district proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins, as it is written in the book of the sayings of the prophet Isaiah:
A voice cries in the wilderness:
Prepare a way for the Lord,
make his paths straight.
Every valley will be filled in,
every mountain and hill be laid low,
winding ways will be straightened
and rough roads made smooth.
And all mankind shall see the salvation of God.
(Luke 3:1–6)
Did you know?
Points of interest and Catholic lore
- Luke goes to great lengths to describe the geographical and political world into which Jesus is born. God enters human history at a specific time and place, so the coming of Jesus for the salvation of the world is not a vague notion but a concrete event in time.
- The prophets of the Hebrew tradition were specially chosen people who spoke the word of God to Israel. John the Baptist is sometimes referred to as the last of the great prophets.
- Scholars believe that Jesus may have spent some time as a disciple of John the Baptist before beginning his own public ministry.
- The ‘Herod’ mentioned in this text is Herod Antipas, son of Herod the Great, who ruled at the time of Jesus’ birth. After Herod the Great’s death, his realm was divided among three of his sons. One son proved be be an inept ruler, so the Romans removed him from power in Judaea and replaced him with a Roman governor.
Exploring the word
The word of God that comes to John in the wilderness is not a word meant for him alone; it is to be shared with all people. John’s proclamation of the word of God ‘through the whole Jordan district’ serves as a precursor to Jesus’ instruction to his disciples ‘that repentance and forgiveness of sins is to be proclaimed in his name to all nations’ (Luke 24:47). The salvation brought by the Lord is not a personal or private matter, but one that is destined for the whole of humankind. However, this salvation can only be achieved if people are prepared to realign their lives—to repent for past sins and take a new path in life. John’s call is a call to a new beginning.
- What new beginning are you being called to as you undertake your journey to baptism?
- What are the ‘sins of the past’ that you are being called to repent for?
- What ‘sins of the past’ is all humanity being called to repent for in order to make a new beginning?
Making connections
Opportunities for group discussion and personal prayer
- ‘The word of God came to John’. How did the word of God first come to you?
- Are there paths in your life that need to be straightened, or hills and valleys that need to be levelled, to make it easier for the Lord to come to you?
- Who are the prophets of the modern age who call people back to fidelity to God’s plan for the world? Are there raised voices that warn us to honour the earth and all people? Are there voices that call us to respect creation and share the bounty of God’s gifts more equitably? How does the modern world receive the voices of the prophets of today? What hills need to be levelled and what paths straightened? Share your reflections with each other.
- This week, try not to get swept away in the 'Christmas cheer’ that dominates all around us. Choose instead to concentrate on waiting and preparing for what is to come.
- Today’s entrance antiphon is a lovely prayer for this week:
The Lord will come to save the nations,
and the Lord will make the glory of his voice heard
in the joy of your heart.
Sharing the tradition
The readings from the prophets of the Hebrew tradition are one feature of the liturgy for Advent. A prophet is someone who speaks for God in a particular time and society. The sequence of readings for Advent in Year C features the words of Jeremiah, Baruch, Zephaniah and Micah.
- You could provide some background information about the prophetic tradition of Israel.
- You could provide some information about the historical reality and message of the four prophets whose words are heard in Advent. What were the situations in their lifetimes that caused them to speak out?
- You could build on the opening discussion of modern prophets and discuss what ‘word’ the world most urgently needs today.
- Are there any similarities between the world today and the world of the Hebrew prophets?
- How does the world today receive the message of its prophets?
Symbols and images
John the Baptist’s words call us to a new beginning. This time of preparation for the coming of the Lord of history at Christmas is a time for us to realign our roads and straighten our paths, so that the coming of Christ into our lives is made easier. We must prepare to welcome the Christ child.
Living the word
- What special actions of preparation for the coming of Jesus are offered in your faith community? How can catechumens be invited to participate in those preparations? Does your community make any special efforts to combat loneliness or isolation in the lead-up to Christmas?
- Use the Advent wreath as a focus for prayer again. Pray for all those who need to hear the word of God in their lives. You could sing Prepare the Way (GA 284). Conclude with the prayer of blessing in the RCIA at §97C.