HOMILY FOR FRIDAY OF THE 2ND WEEK OF ADVENT

Homily for Friday of the 2nd Week of Advent

Isaiah 48:17-19; Matthew 11:16-19.

The Prophet Isaiah tells us in the First Reading: "I am the Lord your God, who teaches you to profit, who leads you in the way you should go. O that you had listened to my commandments!" (Isa.17-18). Prophet Isaiah announces the Lord's presence who teaches us the way we should go and makes us earn the profit.

Despite all that God does for us, we continue to reject Christ's teachings and suffer for the consequences of this rejection like the Jews in today's Gospel who find something wrong with everything done by Jesus. They are so obstinately preoccupied with frivolous activities, petty disputes and a public show of their piety that they are unable to see the plan of God being fulfilled and the work of God being carried out by our Lord Jesus Christ and John the Baptist.

Jesus wad criticised for eating in a carefree manner and yet when John the Baptist came with an austere lifestyle, he was still rejected. Sometimes, we live in a world that prefers to see reasons to reject us rather than to accept us. When we find the truth and look for reasons to reject it, we find lots of it and if we find reasons to accept it, we will even find more of it.

Jesus knows that He and John will be vindicated, while His generation would miss the great opportunity of God's redemptive work. Do I waste my time and opportunity by finding fault with everything?

May God give light to those in darkness and let His teaching rule our lives through Christ our Lord. Amen.

Have a blessed day!