Second Sunday of Advent: Light of Faith

Today we light the second Advent candle. It proclaims faith in the mercy of God, who forgives us all our sins and grants us deep peace of mind. The first reading speaks of this paradisiacal peace: "The wolf will live with the lamb, the leopard will lie down with the goat. The calf and the lion will feed together, and a little child will lead them. ...The infant will play at the cobra's nest, and the child will put its hand into the snake's den. They will neither harm nor destroy on all my holy mountain, for the earth will be filled with the knowledge of the Lord as the waters fill the sea." (Isaiah 11:6-9) Certainly, this is a magnificent image of heavenly peace. But even now we can experience the peace of God in our souls if we heed the call of St. Follow John's example: "Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is near." (Matthew 3:2-3) But what does repentance actually mean? According to St. Augustine, the essence of sin is a "curved-in" state, or as a song puts it: "Me, me, me, it's always about me..." We must constantly fight against the selfish inclinations we know as the seven deadly sins: "Intemperance, impurity, greed, anger, envy, sloth, and pride." People flocked to John in the desert, where he spoke the unvarnished truth to them. Deeply moved, they confessed their sins and were baptized by him in the Jordan. (Mt 3:6) We are so much better off, since we don't have to confess our sins aloud before everyone—as was still the custom in the early Church. In the silence of Holy Confession, we may confess our misery to God. How beautiful it is to hear the priest say in God's name: "May God grant you pardon and peace through the forgiveness of your sins!" Here I would like to remind you once again of St. Charles de Foucauld, who previously indulged all his bad inclinations with relish. In his inner emptiness and anguish, he found the way to Holy Confession. Finally, the long-awaited peace filled his heart! Let us also use the grace-filled season of Advent to confess our sins and experience the peace of God. For God not only forgives our sins, but also grants us His divine peace, and thus the beginning of the Kingdom of Heaven. For St. John the Baptist, it was only the baptism of repentance. Jesus, however, the "stronger one," stronger than all our guilt, "baptizes us with the Holy Spirit and with fire." (Mt 3:11) In other words: Jesus gives us Heaven right now, in Baptism and then in every Holy Confession: God Himself takes up residence in our soul and desires to intervene in this loveless world with the fire of His love. To this end, He bestows upon us all the gifts of the Holy Spirit, as the prophet Isaiah prophesied: "the Spirit of wisdom and understanding, "the Spirit of counsel and might, "the Spirit of knowledge and the fear of the Lord." (Isaiah 11:2-3) So we may sing with confidence and faith: Send forth your Spirit, and the face of the earth will be renewed! Through the power of God, which works in holy water, we pray: Jesus, bless us, bless our family… protect and keep us from all evil… let us remain healthy in spirit, soul, and body… The blessing of the Father, the love of the Son, the power of the Holy Spirit, the maternal protection of the Queen of Heaven, the paternal power of St. Joseph, the assistance of the holy angels, and the intercession of the saints be with us and accompany us everywhere and always. Amen.