By His Grace Prakash Mallavarapu, Archbishop of Visakhapatnam
As the season of Advent commences we all are thinking of Christmas celebrations and preparations for the same, spiritually and in other ways. We want to encounter the Lord, Incarnate Son of God, Jesus Christ. We are led in our preparations by the Word of God and well planned liturgical celebrations. We all are called to experience a renewed joy through a fresh encounter with the Lord!
While the above is the goal, Holy Father, Pope Francis is calling us to do some soul searching about our life as believers in Jesus Christ and as members of the living Church. Initiating the Church into Synodal Process of the Synod 2021-2023, he is asking us to look at the way we are in the “Church.” As we review our lives in this Advent season, let us also review our life as members of the Church, called to journeying together in communion! The Lamb of God, Jesus Christ should make us conscious of the obstacles and failures about journeying together in communion. He is the Lamb of God Who takes away the sin that is preventing us to be in communion!
“Behold the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!” were the words of John the Baptist pointing to Jesus of Nazareth and in that way he introduced Jesus to his own disciples.
True to his mission of preparing a way and preparing the people for the Messiah who is to come after him and who is far greater than himself, John discloses the truth about Jesus of Nazareth, “Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world.” As he was preparing the people by calling to repentance and change of heart as the time of fulfillment was drawing near.
Those who responded received the Baptism of repentance. These disciples, we should believe, were with John the Baptizer for some time and were baptized. They were thus prepared for the time of fulfillment, the time for the coming of the Messiah. That is why, as soon as John the Baptist, their master until now, pointed to Jesus and declared that he is the Lamb of God, they just went after Jesus or behind Jesus. They trusted their master’s declaration or “revelation,” and they were prepared with the “baptism of repentance” through John the Baptist; they went after Jesus, believing that he is “the Messiah.” Here is a point for reflection for all of us who began the ‘Advent journey’: preparation is necessary! It is a preparation for a fresh encounter with Jesus Christ, our Saviour and Lord, “the Lamb of God” who takes away sin of the world, and in particular, takes away our sin!
The Jews lived through many centuries looking forward, waiting in hope and expectation, for the coming of the Messiah and John the Baptist as immediate precursor was preparing people for the time of fulfillment. We too should see the need and go with prepared hearts.