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2nd SUNDAY OF ADVENT
The second Sunday of Advent provides an uncommonly fruitful cluster of texts that can
easily be grouped into a variety of combinations. The first lesson speaks of a coming
Messenger, the second lesson describes humility as personified in the humility and
exaltation of Jesus Christ, and the gospel lesson presents the time and place where God
enters time and space with a Word. May the listening community on this day also hear and
anticipate the Messenger and the Message that God sends our way.
MALACHI 3:1-4-THE MESSENGER
This short book, which was probably written during the post-exilic period, places
renewed emphasis on the Temple as being at the core of community life. The actual literary
form is an argument in which God and the people accuse each other of covenantal neglect.
People complain of God’s non-involvement in their lives when they most need God and
wonder where the God of justice is. God answers back in our lesson with the promise of a
coming messenger-"Look, I am sending my messenger . . ." (3:1). But when this
messenger comes God argues, who will be able to endure him? The writer follows with a
brief description of this messenger using images that imply purging and purification-a
blazing fire and a strong soap (3:2), a refiner of silver and gold (3:3). Not the least of
those purified will be the Levites, who once purified will offer sacrifices that God will
once again accept.
PHILIPPIANS 2:3-11-HUMILIATION/EXALTATION
We’ve come to this passage many times. In the season of Advent, the encouragement
to be humble (2:1-4) leads quite naturally into the incarnational hymn of Christ (2:5-11).
The passage could well be in conversation with the Malachi "messenger" passage;
both speak to the answer that God gives to our human need for a savior who comes to us
from beyond our own saving abilities. The hymnic section of this lesson reflects a
balanced humiliation/exaltation rhythm that leads us finally to doxology-to the doxa of
God the Father (2:11).
LUKE 3:1-6-IT HAPPENED
In the gospel lesson we are introduced to a lengthy and layered chronology of persons
and events at about the time that John and Jesus entered the human arena. The effect of
all of this reporting seems is to drive home a single point: It happened. The second part
of the lesson then speaks to the point: And here’s how it happened. So on this Sunday
the proclaimer has to work with an ancient chronology and the beginnings of John the
Baptist who will soon introduce Jesus to the people’s living around Israel. The
writer sums up the entrance of John the Baptist with a quotation from Isaiah
40:3-5-prepare . . . for the Lord’s coming . . . make a straight road . . . fill in
the valleys . . . level . . . straighten . . . smooth out . . . And then all people will
see the salvation sent from God (3:6).
