Sunday 9 December

2nd Sunday of Advent

Baruch 5:1-9; Psalm 125 (126); Philippians 1:3-6, 8-11; Luke 3:1-6

Expand the mind

As with the birth of Jesus (2:1-3), Luke places the Word of God coming to John the Baptist within the framework of the whole world – the Roman Empire, its local rulers in Palestine and the Jewish leadership. John proclaims ‘a baptism of repentance (metanoia) for the forgiveness of sins’. The word metanoia, (repentance, conversion) consists of meta (expand, go beyond) and noia (mind) meaning ‘go beyond’ or ‘expand the mind.’ This Advent, how does the call, ‘Prepare the way of the Lord,’ expand my mind?