One of the advantages of our parish being dedicated to St John the Baptist is that we encounter our patron not only on his feast day in June but in Advent as well. On this 2nd Sunday, his mission is recalled: to prepare the way for Christ who is about to begin his ministry in Galilee. For that reason he is known in the Orthodox Church as “St John the Forerunner (prodromos in Greek).” John is often depicted pointing at Christ because his entire life and ministry was a witness to Jesus, the one greater than him, whose coming he was sent to announce.
Our vocation as Christians is similar to John’s, even if our lifestyle is different:
John pointed to the one who was to come.
We point to the one who has come.
But because Jesus will come again in glory, we also point to him as the coming future one, just as John pointed to him in the past.
This Advent, let us rekindle our love for Christ and strive through prayer and witness to make him more widely known.
Collects for the 2nd Sunday of Advent
O Lord, raise up, we pray, your power
and come among us,
and with great might succour us;
that whereas, through our sins and wickedness
we are grievously hindered
in running the race that is set before us,
your bountiful grace and mercy
may speedily help and deliver us;
through Jesus Christ your Son our Lord,
to whom with you and the Holy Spirit,
be honour and glory, now and for ever.
Almighty God,
purify our hearts and minds,
that when your Son Jesus Christ comes again as
judge and saviour
we may be ready to receive him,
who is our Lord and our God. Amen.
Father in heaven,
who sent your Son to redeem the world
and will send him again to be our judge:
give us grace so to imitate him
in the humility and purity of his first coming
that, when he comes again,
we may be ready to greet him
with joyful love and firm faith;
through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
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