The title of this reflection might seem to be a bit controversial. Many of us are used to the idea of Advent being rather a ‘joyful preparation’ for Christmas than a period associated with penance. The latter characteristic, however, had been an unseparated part of the period of Advent for centuries. We may see it at almost every Mass in the four weeks preceding Christmas, seeing our priest celebrating Mass in violet vestments – the colour explicitly associated with penance in the Catholic tradition.
The Church gives us John the Baptist as an exemplar for the Advent preparation. Not only did he attempt to prepare his followers and listeners for Christ’s coming, but he also gave us an example of a life in which penance was present. Penance is never done just for the sake of itself, with the idea that the rougher, the better. John’s presence in the wilderness was not accidental. Jesus did the same before beginning His ministry, even though He did not preach anything during His stay there. John’s place for preaching the upcoming appearance of the Messiah was not particularly crowded. He did not go to a square in a city to be able to gather more listeners. Rather, he preached in his place of prayer to those whose ways somehow crossed his ones. John’s presence in the wilderness should not, therefore, be considered only as a sign of his roughness. He experienced a radical encounter with God in prayer, solitude, and works of penance. That transformation he was seeking helped him preach and teach, convert others, and ultimately give his life for the Truth. John knew his place in the relationship to Jesus and He knew the real power of the Son of God.
We need penance. Not only in the time of Lent or Advent. We need penance not because we are evil and penance is the only way to make God happy. No! We need penance, repentance of sins, and time for prayer on a daily basis. We need them because the reality that Jesus wants to grant us is our internal, spiritual transformation. This is the real meaning of holiness. We need grace and the forgiveness of sins in the sacrament of reconciliation.
That is why Advent can be and indeed is joyful. We are happy not just because we will soon sit with our families around Christmas tables and sing Christmas carols. The real joy of Advent is the fact that in the mystery of Incarnation, God transforms us and makes us His children – makes us holy. It is not automatic – it involves our effort to accept the grace. Let us trustfully and joyfully take the risk of conversion this Advent.
Łukasz Gołąb – Seminary of the Good Shepherd, Sydney, Australia.
Fot. Erwan Martin/Unsplash.com