Father Thomas Welbers' Homily	Jump back to Homily Index
Second Sunday of Advent, December 7, 2003 Baruch 5:1-9 Philippians 1:4-6, 8-11 Luke 3:1-6	Listen to Audio

What is maturity? What is the difference between an immature person and one who is grown up? A baby is not expected to be mature. Nor is a small child. But as a child grows older, we expect that he or she will mature – year by year, stage by stage – into adulthood. An adult who remains immature – don’t we say of that person, “he or she never grew up”? What is it that makes a person truly “grown up”?

The heart of being mature is that you are in possession of yourself, that you are secure in who you are so that you can be somebody for others. A mature person can relate to other people on an equal basis. Mature people can be of value to others because they know who they are and they know their own worth.

What we say about human maturity we can also say about maturity in our Christian lives. Our readings today address this.

The beautiful prophecy of Baruch, our first reading, was first proclaimed when people were suffering captivity and oppression. In vivid images the prophet assures them of who they are – they are God’s people – and that God will restore them and make them safe and secure in him.

The word of God, which came upon John the Baptist, enabled him to preach a similar restoration of integrity for God’s people, through repentance and forgiveness. John the Baptist, as the greatest of all prophets, paved the way for the work of Jesus Christ, so that all flesh – all people – would see the salvation of God. In other words, salvation now is God’s universal desire and work for everyone, not just a chosen nation.

Repentance – turning away from sin – and forgiveness are essential parts of Christian maturity. Sin turns us inward on ourselves, makes us self-preoccupied; forgiveness on the other hand – both when we humbly seek it and when we forgive others – makes us whole so that we can also be instruments of grace for others.

Notice in St. Paul’s letter to the Philippians, he calls the members of the Christian community in the city of Philippi “partners for the Gospel.” Yes, they received the Gospel from him, but even as new Christians, they could not remain recipients only – that would mean remaining immature. The Gospel of Jesus Christ formed them so that they would be able to give what they had received.

Listen again to St. Paul’s prayer for them, because this too is my prayer for you as your pastor, and it must be the heart of the prayer that each one of us has for one another. Paul says:

“And this is my prayer: that your love may increase ever more and more in knowledge and every kind of perception, [in order] to discern what is of value, so that you may be pure and blameless for the day of Christ, filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ for the glory and praise of God.”

First he prays that our love may increase, and that love may lead to knowledge and discernment – the ability to recognize what is important. That really is the sign of maturity – love enables us to open ourselves outward, to expand our vision, to include in our vision the importance of others, to move from “what’s in it for me?” to “what can I do for you?” And the purpose of this is nothing other than “the glory and praise of God.”

How is God glorified? By doing his will, of course. By living in such a way that others may see – yes, God is good; yes, God does love us. And, yes, God has made us for himself, and our hearts are restless until they rest in him.

© Thomas Welbers 2003