REFLECTION/HOMILY FOR THURSDAY OF THE 2ND WEEK OF ADVENT 14TH DECEMBER 2023

REFLECTION/HOMILY FOR THURSDAY OF THE 2ND WEEK OF ADVENT 14TH DECEMBER 2023

Isaiah 41:13-20; Ps.145; Matthew 11:11-15

*Love is Perfected in Heaven*

Persecutions are temptations to abandon our Christian faith. When we resist, we are expressing our desire to remain with the Lord. Every effort we make to do God’s will is an act of love.

John Baptist is a very good example. The gospel reading of today says that he is the greatest of all those born of women. The source of John’s greatness was his love for God which manifested in the great sufferings he endured. He was filled with the Holy Spirit, he was a prophet, he preached God’s Word boldly, he was holy, he was prayerful, he fasted a lot and when he was not fasting, he ate only locusts and wild honey. Finally, he experienced martyrdom. What a great sign of love!

Yet, John cannot stand the least in the kingdom of heaven. Who is this least, and what greater things could he/she had done than John? Well, the least of the kingdom of heaven is great not on account of what the person had done but based on where the person is (heaven). The person is greater than John the Baptist simply because the person is in heaven. Invariably, Jesus was figuratively saying that love will be perfected in heaven. So, for John who has loved so much, he will reap the perfection of this love when he comes to behold the beatific vision.

The kingdom of God suffers violence because without showing great love by enduring persecution, we will not be making our way towards it. God desires the salvation of all but then heaven is not an all-comers affairs. To belong to heaven, we must first love like John the Baptist.

What does this mean for us? It means that the greatest reward for repentance is heaven. The reward of repentance is not a life that is free of troubles and difficulties. So it is not irreconcilable for a Christian to suffer but it is irreconcilable for a Christian to miss heaven.

Therefore, as advent continues to invite us to return to the Lord, it is also inviting us to enter into heaven. It is the ultimate desire for heaven that will help strengthen the resolutions we make at advent. The goal is not Christmas but heaven. So after advent, we will not return to our sins but continue to aspire towards that state of true greatness. Proper preparation prevents poor performance. Never stop expecting the Lord.