COMFORT

INTRODUCTION

The title of my homily for this 2^nd Tuesday in Advent is, “Comfort!”

At first "Comfort" did not sound like a homily title.

Yet, there it is - the opening word in today’s first reading from Isaiah 40: 1-11.

“Comfort, give comfort to my people, says your God.” [Isaiah 40: 1.]

SECOND ISAIAH

That message is the opening words of a whole new Isaiah - called “Second Isaiah” - Chapters 40 to 55 -  written 150 or so years after First Isaiah - Chapters 1 to 39. The scene and the audience is not Jerusalem - as was First Isaiah -  but those in exile up in Babylon.  They certainly needed comfort. They certainly needed hope. They certainly needed to have a dream that they could return home.

HONEY OR VINEGAR?

I ended my homily last Sunday with a wondering about which way is the best way to go - whether it’s in preaching, teaching, coaching, parenting - or what have you.

I made reference to the famous quote: “You catch more flies with a spoonful of honey than a barrel of vinegar.”

I contrasted Scold Christianity - Severe Christianity - Strict Christianity - vs. Compassionate Christianity or Joyful Christianity.

It seems on first glance that Pope Francis is going the way of the spoonful of honey vs. the barrel of vinegar.

We’ve all met coach, teacher, A and B.

We’ve all met or experienced Father Strict and Father Sweet.

We’ve all heard about parents playing the roles of Good Cop vs. Bad Cop.

Which or who is better? Is it an all depends? Does each person have to be true to themselves?

As I was thinking about this I wondered if a person could change if they actually saw themselves being strict, severe and too, too serious - and they wanted to be different or easier.

CARL SANDBURG

I remember reading in his book, The People, Yes, when Carl Sandburg addresses some of these questions in a poem, “A Father To His Son. A father wonders what to say to his son.

“Do I say, 'Life is hard; be steel; be a rock.'
And this might stand him for the storms
and serve him for humdrum monotony
and guide him among sudden betrayals
and tighten him for slack moments.”

Or does he say,

“Life is a soft loam; be gentle; go easy.'
And this too might serve him.
Brutes have been gentled where lashes failed.”

In that  poem he wrestles with the question of comfort or challenge - sugar or salt - the warning of a spanking or the promise of ice cream?

Carrot or stick?

WILLIAM BARCLAY

I remember reading in one of William Barclay’s commentaries - his wonderings about a  student he met. This fellow was too intense, too uptight, too severe - and everyone wondered if this is how Christ is and how Christ functions.

It certainly got me thinking about my outlook and my behavior.  

SCRIPTURES

And in our scriptures we certainly have both takes. 

I have been thinking of this since Sunday when John the Baptist seemed much tougher than Jesus - yet Jesus is described as fire - and burning the chaff and gathering the wheat into his barn.

In today’s gospel, Jesus is the Good Shepherd, searching and saving the lost sheep. In other gospels, he’s challenging folks like the Pharisees with tough love - because they could be a swarm of vipers.

CONCLUSION

So I am left with questions - and I don’t know how comforting questions can be.

So comfort or challenge? 

Fear or love?  

Reaching out or walking away?

A word or the silent treatment?

Which works best - in any given situation?

Sorry, Lord, I don’t know many answers many times. Amen.