Third Sunday of Advent 16th December 2018 – Preparing the way for Good News

Deacon Chris Saccali

 

May I speak in the name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit.

DRIVING PAST THE APPROACH TO OUR VILLAGE a couple of weeks ago I noticed a notice board propped up at the side of the road with the words GOOD NEWS emblazoned at the top and bottom. “Great” I thought to myself, “we could all do with some of that.” Next time I passed by, I slowed down as much as I dared so that I could read the small print (always a wise move) and discovered that the good tidings were referring to upholstery covers being restored or mended! But that got me thinking on how our spiritual lives can and need to be renewed and restored in this refreshing, yet penitential advent period.

 

Today, on the third Sunday of Advent, we are thinking about John the Baptist and his message of Good News. This phrase Good News comes right at the end of this passage in verse 18 in Greek Evaggelion literally the good message/ announcement which is also the word in Greek for gospel. Originally it was used in Roman times by the town crier to announce messages about the Empire. Only later did Good News come to have a Christian connotation such as we read here in Luke’s gospel.

Now remember John the Baptist’s birth to an elderly childless couple, Elizabeth and Zechariah, was miraculous, that was definitely a message of Good News, brought by an angel.  He was also Jesus’ relative on the maternal side of the family, let us not forget that relationship either. His vocation was to prepare the way for the Messiah and he fulfilled that in his life, ministry and death.

Our challenge in Advent is how to prepare ourselves to receive the Christ child at Christmas. It is an act of waiting but not a passive activity. Outwardly, nothing much may seem to change but if we are making way for Christ in our lives and hearts and preparing to greet him then we must smooth out all the lumps, bumps and rough edges that stand in our way.

 

Greeks are not renowned for road building. I do not think there is an equivalent word in the Greek language for camber, the correct curvature of the surface of the road so that rain runs off and driving is safer and smoother. Potholes and rough surfaces abound on roads and pavements here. Steamrollers are not a common sight these days as they were in my youth in England when we would see them leveling the surface of the tarmac being laid on the road. Earlier this week Cliff and I saw an unusual sight of bags of asphalt being unloaded and banged manually into a hole. “Patching up” we both said “that won’t last it is not like the good old days”.   We cannot do a patch up job on ourselves either because it won’t last.

 

After a long while 400 years or so without notable prophets that we are aware of, or are recorded, here comes John the Baptist fairly steamrollering across Israel and out into the wilderness, calling for repentance and in his own unique way pointing to the Messiah, preparing the way, as was his calling.  Interestingly enough, the Greek word for steamroller is odostrotiras – literally way spreading, leveling the ground.

Zephaniah, a prophet whose readings we rarely hear read aloud and who is usually giving woeful tidings and gloom has an unusually joyful message beginning with the words: “ Sing aloud, O daughter of Zion: shout, O Israel! Rejoice and exult with all your heart, O daughter Jerusalem!”  The Philippians passage echoes this in the familiar verse: “ Rejoice in the Lord always and again I say rejoice.”

Instead of asking others and ourselves whether we are ready for Christmas what would happen if we asked the question are we and the world ready to receive Jesus? A lot of people can find the Christmas season a very difficult and lonely one despite or because of the hustle and bustle and joyful nature of Christmas carols and gifts. How can we continue to share the Good News by focusing on Jesus and pointing others to him by the way we live our lives joyfully and expectantly and not just keeping the News to ourselves or reflecting it back on us?

 

Our challenge is to stand firm in Advent when the world is rushing about and to reflect on our inward condition and mend our relationship with God, first with ourselves and others through the coming Christ child both now at Christmas,  first by getting ready for the Bethlehem journey to the manger while at the same being alert for signs of His second coming.

As we prepare to welcome others at services later today and throughout Advent and Christmastide, it is an ideal time to point others in the direction of the crib with the Christ child and to share the good news of Christ’s birth, life, death and resurrection, within the framework of justice and mercy, and what that message means to the world and to each of us individually. That is the joyful but sober Good News which we must cry out and reveal- new life restored completely, not darned in all our threadbare places, for everyone who turns their hearts to Christ. AMEN