LANDSCAPE:

INNER AND OUTER

INTRODUCTION

The title of my homily is, “Landscape: Inner and Outer.”

TODAY’S READINGS

Today’s readings - for this Second Sunday in Advent - talk about landscape - inner and outer - more outer than inner - however.

The first reading from the prophet Baruch talks about the heights of Jerusalem - where people came to visit on a regular basis - to see the big city - from the east and the west. Then Baruch talks about the leveling of landscape - mountains being lowered and gorges being filled in. He also talks about every kind of tree lending both shade and fragrance for those on the road to the city. Then at the end of today’s first reading Baruch goes within: how God is leading the people of Israel in joy  - by the light of his glory - so that they will travel this life with mercy and justice.

Today’s gospel has Luke’s way of beginning the coming out of Jesus as an adult. He locates Jesus in history. He tells us who was emperor at the time - Tiberius Caesar - who was governor - Pontius Pilate - who was tetrarch of Galilee - Herod - and then he gives a few more names - as well as the names of Annas and Caiaphas - who were high priests at the time.  Next he tells us of John the Baptist who came to proclaim a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. John quotes the prophet Isaiah. It’s the same message that we heard from Baruch: roads and paths are to be made straight - valleys are to be filled in - with the mountains and hills being lowered - and winding roads are to be made straight and rough ways made smooth. Then the closing message is about changes in our inner landscape - redemption and salvation coming to us from our God.

The title of my homily is: “Landscape: Inner and Outer.”

HIGHWAY CONSTRUCTION AHEAD.

We’ve all been on the roads of life and we’ve all seen signs indicating, “Highway Construction Ahead.”

I had the front seat of a bus with our high school seniors last Friday coming back from a 4 day retreat at Malvern Retreat House in Pennsylvania. I had looked at the readings for today just before I left - so as to think about a homily for today on the bus. I saw landscape in the readings. I saw landscape out the front window of the bus. I saw hills - no mountains - but hills and slopes - dips and twists and turns. I saw road construction here and there on the way - especially on 95 north of Baltimore. When is that going to be finished?

Maybe like airports, construction, revamping, always goes on.

I couldn’t help but think a retreat is a good thing for folks to attend from time to time. Retreat houses are usually located where there is beautiful landscape. I suspect the motive is for folks to go within: to check out their inner landscape.

What does it look like inside me - in my invisible side? What am I like? If someone could walk around inside me - what would they see?

Do I have rough roads - that need repair? Where do I need to be inner beautified? Where are my potholes - that bother me and others all the time? Where do I have to plant inner trees and dig for water?

As I sat on the bus thinking about all this - I thought: “That’s one of  the purposes of Advent - to look at our inner landscape - and make our paths to God better - and better for God to travel to us.”

I think of the Christmas story of Mary and Joseph coming south on a donkey - heading for Bethlehem - the place where Jesus is born.

CONCLUSION

I laugh. I celebrate - after all this talk about beautiful landscape - Jesus is born in a stable with the stink of animals. So he’ll come to us - however we are - but I guess it would be better, if we were better.