Advent 2: Lush Life

Weird reunion. Annette’s older ‘gay’-identified brother John, unraveling in San Francisco, needed family. His friends had died or given up on him. We met John there to prepare him to move closer to us.

Easier for me than for Annette. She had endured his instability all her life. We mobilized together to dignify John’s last days.

The sign on a nearby parish read ‘Welcome Home!’ A new Catholic, I ducked into the sanctuary as often as I could. It enfolded me. The altar, surrounded by fir trees emerging from a bed of poinsettias, centered and cheered me.

A few like me lingered there; a priest agreed to receive my confession about ragged love for John and resentment for the toll he took on Annette. Mercy sprung from forgiveness.

This week’s reading from Luke 3:1-6, Philippians 1:4-11, and Baruch 5:1-9 describe the lush life I found that Advent in San Francisco: ‘Take off your robe of mourning and misery; put on the splendor of glory from God forever’ (Bar. 5:1).

Advent highlights the soon-coming King who comes again to us—ever constant but altogether new. Our need for Him shifts. The valleys and mountains Annette and I faced that year are not today’s. Jesus knows this. So, He comes again to save us. Difficulties we face with those we love most reveal the limits of love: our need to be saved, over and over.

John the Baptist’s preaching––‘Every valley will be filled in, every mountain leveled!’ (Lk 3:5)––could not be more timely. He fills cavities and woos us out of thick defenses. He restores our souls; He will complete the good work He started in us (Phil. 1:6).

‘All of life is Advent,’ declares Fr. Alfred Delp, and I agree. Dull hearts require bigger ‘welcome home’ signs, more poinsettias, trees that sparkle, and plaster angels who sing. We need constant reminders that He is coming, has come, and will come again. All heaven and earth pray for His unseen reality to be manifest. Again.  

To be manifest to our dull hearts and to the divided ones we love most who have made a mess of their lives and are prime targets for Jesus’ Advent. Enfolded by Love Himself, how can we not be emboldened by Isaiah and Baruch’s prophecies and make them our prayers for lost loved ones?

‘Give them up! Hold not back! Bring back My sons from afar, My daughters from the ends of the earth: Everyone who is formed as Mine, whom I created for My glory’ (Is. 43:5-7); ‘Up, Jerusalem! Stand upon the heights; look to the east and see your children gathered from the east and the west at the word of the Holy One, rejoicing that they are remembered by God’ (Bar. 5:4).

Relish this lush season of expectancy. May every carol and ornament invite radiant hope in the One who promises: ‘Every knee shall bow before Him, all flesh will see the salvation of God’ (Phil. 2: 10; Lk 3:6).

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