Episode Transcript
Speaker 0 00:00:01 Ivan Maria, Christina, and the name of the father and the son and the Holy spirit. Amen. Why is that vine liturgy? A place Saint John, the Baptist before us all through admin. Well, in order to answer that question, we need to briefly remind ourselves the two truths about this Holy season, the first place. And second then consider a few of the parallels between the prophet life and Saint John first is we've already seen an advent. The literacy keeps two basic truths before our eyes. On the one hand, we're preparing to celebrate the anniversary of the first coming of our Lord. Some 2000 years ago on his mission of mercy. Now, on the other hand, we're also reminded to be prepared for an upcoming event, which is the second coming of our Lord in the clouds of glory when he comes to judge living in the debt.
Speaker 0 00:00:54 So those are the two basic cruises, the first coming, and the second coming that are placed before us during the advent season. Now, second, what are the parallels between the prophet Elias and st. John the Baptist? What does that suppose to me? Well, very briefly with regard to Elias, he's the great prophet of the old Testament. And he sent to the kingdom of Israel. Remember it's been split into two kingdoms, Judah and Israel, and he sent her on 900 BC or so during the reign of King ACOB and queen Jezza belt. And there's plenty that could be said about those King and queen Jezza bill one line from the scripture, summarize it. Cool. ACOB did more to provoke the Lord, the God of Israel than all the Kings of Israel that were before in close. Cool. So, but a terrible ruler. So pagan worship at that time became the religion of the state. The people of Israel fell in apostasy and in the midst of that apostasy Elias, prophet of the true God arrived from out of the desert. He had a message of righteousness. He was challenging the rulers to their face. Who's challenging the pagan priests to their face. John's the people of Israel to their face. And he's challenging them all to make a definitive choice, either serve the true and living God or die.
Speaker 0 00:02:21 Of course, Elias has taken up in a cherry to fire, but he hasn't yet died. In fact, along with <inaudible>, he's coming back during the reign of the antichrist to confront the rulers to their faith and preach repentance and, and, uh, to the lost children of Israel, he's, uh, gonna preach to them. And he knock will preach to the Gentiles, uh, as a great doctor of the church st. Robert Bellarmine States, quote, it's either heresy or approximate to heresy to deny that you not in a class or personally return, you're not going to last, it's still living. When that Christ comes, it will oppose him preserve the elect and the faith of Christ and convert the Jews close quote st. Robert Bellarmine. And why will I be preaching preachiness to prepare those who will listen for the coming of the Lord? So what does that have to do with st.
Speaker 0 00:03:16 John the Baptist st. John is sent before the Lord and the spirit of Elias with a similar mission, the scriptures are clear and chapter one of the gospel of Saint Luke read, read that Elizabeth she's the wife of the pre Zachary she's. Well, beyond the age of childbearing, one day, Zachary goes into the Holy place and the temple to offer the incense st. Grave of the Archangel appears to him who told him that Elizabeth would Barrick song and should be named John. And I quote, they should convert many of the children, Israel to the Lord, their God. And he should go before him, the spirit and the power of Elias that he may turn the hearts of the fathers, to the children and the unbelieving to the wisdom of the just should repair for Lord of perfect people. Close quote. So st. John, the Baptist comes up out of the desert and in the spirit of alive confronts the ruler, their faith preaches a message of repentance and judgment to the way we're children.
Speaker 0 00:04:12 Israel should prepare those who will listen for the coming of the Lord. Dom Garren, Jay comments, quote st. John creatures, peanuts, no obligation then are, are under, uh, preparing for the coming of Christ by self purification. But the men around them are as indifferent as though they neither expected nor wanted the savior close quote. So he's preaching to men that have the true religion, but they just don't care. He tells him to repent and bear fruits of repentance warns, and that every tree that is not bear good fruit will be cut down, thrown into the fire. He warns him that our Lord was separate the wheat from the chaff and burn the chaff with unquenchable fire, and they still don't care. So why have we been hearing about st. John the Baptist during admin? So on the one hand prepares us to receive the grace as attached to the great feast of Christmas, the liturgical celebration of the first coming of our Lord, that's on the one hand and the other hand to repair us.
Speaker 0 00:05:19 So we're ready to meet the Lord when he comes again, think of how much emphasis the church puts on the importance of being prepared for the last Sunday of the year, all the way to the entire season of advent, the church, places that reality before our eyes, the Lord is coming. So prepare yourself. That's the whole point of this whole season cornea comments. This was the, the theme, the sum of his Baptist preaching, repent because well, and I all were grievous sinners, living in vices and lusts. Therefore repentance was necessary that they might receive the grace and righteousness of Christ. Moreover repentance is not only amendment of manners, the beginning of a new lie, but it's a, detestation a chastisement and destruction of the old sinful life. So the new life can effectually be begun until the old life be cast away. Close. Cool. So why is st John the Baptist before us all during the admin to remind us that we all need to repent.
