SATURDAY OF THE WORD OF GOD (SATWOG, DECEMBER 10TH, 2023) INSPIRING REFLECTIONS OF MEMBERS

LAITY REFLECTIONS FOR THE 2ND SUNDAY OF ADVENT, YEAR B

First Reading: Isaiah 40:1-5;9-11
Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 85:9ab and 10;11-12;13-14 (R. 8)
Second Reading: 2 Peter 3:8-14
Gospel Acclamation: Luke 3:4;6
Gospel: Mark 1:1-8

Philip Okoye

MY REFLECTION

Dear brothers and sisters, greetings. I will be sharing my reflection across the 3 readings, and the Psalmist.

The great prophet Isaiah, in first reading teaches me the need to adequately prepare myself for the coming of my Lord, Jesus Christ. In doing this, I learnt that my preparations shouldn't start and end with just physical preparations that seek material comfort for the body alone. These preparations must be very thorough, with deep sense of spiritual relevance to my christian life.

I am being called to retrospectively, think through my christian life in humility and sincerity. By this, I expected to do painstaking evaluations, so as to truly know how well and upright, my christian life sits with all that is expected of the life of a true christian.

In rephrasing the teachings of prophet Isaiah, I learnt that my efforts should be geared towards doing everything in making necessary amends, by filling up the deeps of my life, and also ensure I lower all lifestyles that can be likened to mountains of obstacles, to living a good christian life. 

And by doing these, I will see that both actions will help bring my christian life to that level plain, such that when Christ eventually comes, HE would have free access in coming freely to dwell with me in the abode of my heart. 

I learnt that this act of bringing the valleys and mountains of my life, down to that level plain, is indeed the preparatory requirement at a spiritual threshold that adequately allows me flow freely with Christ. 

And that if and when I do this, my christian life becomes befitting and attractive to Christ, thereby making HIM find a home in me, and eventually dwells in me when HE comes. Also, I must always remember that this is the true hallmark of a good christian life I am expected to live by, in and out of the season we are in. 

Likewise, Peter in the second reading encourages me never to give up in preparing myself for the coming of the Lord. I must not be tired in steadfastness and must be unwaivering in my acts of preparedness. This is by doing away with all stains, spots and blemishes of sins, and being at peace with God and man while I wait.

Furthermore, St. Mark's account of the teachings of John the Baptist in the gospel reading, emphasizes the need for me to make adequate preparations by first, seeking sincere reconciliation with God at all times, through the sacrament of penance, which is always available at my disposal.

So, I am being encouraged never to allow my past life define who I am. By this, I must never allow myself be tied down to my sins, frustrations, pains and shame of my bitter pasts. These obviously include those mistakes and falls I might have had in the pasts, which have been keeping me away from reconciling and reuniting myself with the Lord, my God. 

The Psalmist in the responsorial psalm teaches me about the joy that will come upon me after having prepared well for the coming of the Lord.

Rephrasing the Psalmist, he affirms that the Lord will let me see HIS mercy and grant me HIS salvation. This is after I must have carried out a diligent work in preparations for HIS coming.

He emphasizes that the salvation of the Lord is already near for those who fear HIM, saying that the Lord's glory will dwell in our land (my life).

When HE comes and find a place in me, HE will bestow everything upon me, and my life shall yield increase, thereby reflecting the goodness of the Lord, always.

As we strive, may God continue to bless His word in our hearts through Christ our Lord, Amen.

Chinwe Udechukwu

MY REFLECTION

"The day of the Lord will come like a thief, since everything is coming to an end, you should be living holy and saintly lives while waiting for the day of the Lord to come."

There is a song by Jim Reeves, "this world is not my home, I am just passing by..."

If I am aware of this, then what is that to withhold me back doing the right thing at every point in time? I might not know the time, how, and where it will happen, all I need to do is to be awake always doing the right thing so that anytime it knocks at my door, I will be ready to say yes and welcome it happily knowing fully well that where I am going to is the new heaven where righteousness will be at home.

We are in the season of advent waiting for the coming of Christ as a new born baby, may we also seize the opportunity to also prepare for the coming of Christ as a just judge.

May the Lord grant us the grace to always have in our hearts, the desire to live holy and saintly lives while we await his coming, Amen.

Adunbiola Simon

MY REFLECTION

The mission and ministry of John the Baptist, the precursor of the Lord, are announced to us today. John is the voice of one crying in the wilderness: 'prepare the way of the Lord, make his path straight.'

This herald of Christ preaches a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. Whatever is crooked in our lives, making us aimlessly meander and saunter, must be straightened. Some of us have mountains and hills of pride, arrogance and insolence that are to be made low if we wish the Lord to come our way. There are also some rough edges in our lives that we have to make smooth. We ought to fill up every valley of emptiness in our souls by the gracious word of God and do its bidding.

Obviously, timely preparedness by all the faithful remains a fundamental attitude for this advent season. Like John, we should lead others to christ the Lord. The church, as the sacrament of Christ's love for humanity, urges us to open our hearts to receive the inner grace of sanctification for our souls.

Come, O Lord, and dwell in us 🙏

Precious Nwanya

MY REFLECTION

Comfort, Comfort my people! Speak tenderly to Jerusalem, and cry to her that her warfare is ended, that her iniquity is pardoned, that she has received from the Lord's hand double for all her sins.

How do you speak tenderly and cry out simultaneously? How are you soft and loud, burning and frozen at the same time? 

*Comfort, Comfort my people, says your God.* 

It is only possible because God sending a message to His people was not asking the Prophet to preach _"Be comfortable in your sins. As long as it pleases you, my people, I will ensure you don't have any trouble enjoying it."_ NOT AT ALL!!!

But He proclaimed a message of comfort that can be found only in turning away from slavery, not just from captivity to their conquerors but especially to sin and into the path of righteousness.  This is why immediately after these tender words of comfort, the requirement is plainly stated, *"Prepare the way of the Lord. Make straight in the desert a highway for our God..."*. The Lord has proclaimed a time to show mercy to Zion, and a way must be prepared so that the pride of human strength/ability is conquered and by their waiting in humility His mercy may enter every heart. Once again, they will return as the flock He shepherds. Then His glory will be revealed, every one will see it and testify to it.

The psalm greatly expressed this joy, this longing of God's people. A message they had waited and waited for. They call out to see God's mercy and salvation, and listen to the words of peace the Lord reveals, the words of Comfort! With longing hearts they had been waiting, they knew something was missing, they knew they needed a Messiah, they had been waiting for Him. And, Oh! That voice cries out in the wilderness, those who hastened to meet Him would have immediately recognized the prophet's voice from Scripture and ran to embrace the fulfilment of his words. They knew the comfort the prophet proclaimed was not far off. Yet there was a requirement, humility to receive mercy.

Did you notice from the Gospel that as they were baptized they were confessing their sins? There in public, one elderly and probably unschooled man was saying, "Have mercy on me, YAHWEH, I have been unkind to my wife because she couldn't give me a male child. I have been unjust to my workers. I have not given you your due in my tithes and offerings. I have been this and that..." I will not be surprised if this is the reason why the Pharisees would not accept John's message, they couldn't imagine bringing themselves to confessing their faults, at least not in public, to the hearing of another. They were self-righteous after all.

Isn't this why tax collectors and sinners were making their way to heaven, having peace of mind, but they never received the "Comfort"? From John the Baptist and throughout Jesus' ministry, they didn't have an iota of peace/comfort. Little wonder they would stay up all night thinking up schemes to pull Jesus down.

Am I like the Pharisees and scribes, Apostle Paul resounds that invitation of John the Baptist, what is wrong with my path? What is crooked? What virtues do I need to fill up the valleys, what vices do I need to break, and what is this inconsistency that plagues my walk with God? I must, collaborating with God's grace and mercy, prepare myself zealously to be found by God without spot or blemish, and at peace (in comfort).

May the Lord grant us a fruitful season of Advent.

Simon Eshiebor

MY REFLECTION

John the Baptist came to prepare the way, we too, must like John the Baptist, lead people to the WAY himself, Jesus, our Lord.

God help us. Amen.

Igbinazaka Angela

MY REFLECTION

My reflection based on the second reading is one I can not ignore as admonished by the great apostle Saint Peter, for many a times I feel my prayers are not been answered because I have failed to realize that one day is as a thousand years and a thousand years as one day with the Lord. 

Hence, I am reminded that the Lord is not slow about his promise and that he has not granted my request doesn’t mean He will not answer but what is most important to my Lord is that I repent and not perish in my sinfulness. 

He doesn’t will for anyone to perish rather we must seek His face and be reconciled to Him so that when the Lord will come as it has been foretold; that the day of the Lord wil come like a thief in the night and I shouldn’t be cut in between. 

I must prepare myself and live in holiness and godliness as I await his coming and be zealous and not found wanting for indeed His second coming is near and those without blemish or stain will behold his beatific vision. 

Just like John the Baptist I too must prepare a way for the Lord through my dispositions as a catholic Christian and wherever I find myself so that through my actions Christ may come as He has promised.