2^nd Sunday of Advent

Padraigín McKenna, OP

“PREPARE THE WAY OF THE LORD”AND ALL PEOPLES SHALL SEE THE SALVATION OF OUR GOD      

I remember very vividly the day, nearly fifty years ago, when this particular phrase from the Gospel made a lasting impression on me. I was participating in a Retreat directed by Fr. Conleth Kearns OP Very slowly and deliberately he read the text: “A voice cries in the wilderness – Prepare a way for the Lord.” He paused, read the same text, but changed the order of the words to “In the wilderness a voice cries out: “Prepare a way for the Lord!” I will never forget the question he posed for us at the end of his talk when he simply asked us: “Was it a voice crying within the wilderness of life which, out of its suffering and despair led to the invitation of the words ‘Prepare the way of the Lord’ – or was it a challenge to go into the wilderness and preach the Gospel there?

“All peoples will see the salvation of the Lord”. This is a promise, and it is our mission to strive and work so that this dream may become a reality As Dominicans we cannot ignore this challenge to preach the Word of God everywhere and at all times.

But, there is another side to the story! It may be that it is I myself who am in the wilderness, brought about by worry or sickness, by depression or the lack of hope, or by the state of the world where there is so much violence, corruption and evil. Every day we are bombarded with news of wars, of disregard for the wonderful gift of life. Daily we see disturbing photos which depict the evil of violence and depravity. How can we not fail to be moved by the heart-breaking picture of thirteen newly born babies swaddled in blue plastic bags and thrown on a rubbish dump; or imagine the lot of a young girl of seven years who was carrying her injured sister on her back, bringing her to the makeshift hospital some miles away; or the demented mother swooning in grief as she mourned the violent deaths of her five children who had just been killed? How can we fail to be moved seeing those who have suffered and lost everything in the recent floods which have left many families homeless in Spain and here in our own country? What message have we for our immigrants who are spurned, ridiculed, and treated with disrespect? What is the ‘Good News’ that we can bring to the homeless.? The ‘wilderness’ is ever–present and is taking its toll, and we wonder is there anything we can do at all to remedy the situation.

Recently the Galway community suffered the loss of five people who had drowned. A local man and a woman had gone swimming in a sheltered bay soon after sunrise. There had been a thick fog and both had gone missing. A search party was organised in the vicinity and within minutes people from nearby had heard the news and had come to the beach to see what they could do. Throughout the day until it was dark there were searches being carried out along the shore within a ten mile radius. Thankfully the man was spotted around mid-day but he had unfortunately drowned. Yet, the search continued but a deep depression and sadness had overwhelmed the community especially when it was confirmed that three other bodies had been discovered, two women at the Cliffs of Moher and an elderly man who was found dead lying in his boat. Many people came to help with the search, many hotels and restaurants kept arriving with hot food, water and tea/coffee. As darkness descended the despondent group of helpers returned home, many of them promising to return the following day. And for nine long days the search parties continued their task of finding the body, and it was consoling to look out across the Bay and see hundreds of boats large and small dotted along the shore line, all with the hope that there would soon be a breakthrough. Each day there were prayers offered in the Churches that the body of the young woman would be found. In spite of the pain and the loss, the Community somehow gathered together and in the midst of their ‘wilderness’ were enabled to give hope to one another.

All their prayers for the young woman, Máire, had been answered when on the tenth day her body was discovered only a few miles from where she had entered the water. Great was the cry of relief and joy. It certainly had been a living ‘wilderness’ from which a believing people gained strength and hope for the ordeal through which they were going. In spite of their suffering, they were enabled to overcome their pain and reach out to one another with love and support. On this 2^nd Sunday of Advent, let us continue with determination to ‘Prepare the way of the Lord’ wherever we are.