{"id":17320,"date":"2025-12-05T09:18:43","date_gmt":"2025-12-05T08:18:43","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/behold.mt\/?post_type=talba-bil-kelma&#038;p=17320"},"modified":"2025-12-05T09:18:45","modified_gmt":"2025-12-05T08:18:45","slug":"repent-for-the-kingdom-of-god-is-at-hand","status":"publish","type":"talba-bil-kelma","link":"https:\/\/behold.mt\/en\/talba-bil-kelma\/repent-for-the-kingdom-of-god-is-at-hand\/","title":{"rendered":"Repent, for the kingdom of God is at hand!"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p><strong><em>Second Sunday of Advent Year A<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Collect <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Almighty and merciful God, may no earthly undertaking hinder those who set out in haste to meet your Son, but may our learning of heavenly wisdom gain us admittance to his company. Who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.<\/p>\n\n\n<style id=\"kt-blocks_d10977-83\">.kt-accordion-id_d10977-83 .kt-accordion-panel-inner {border-width:0px 0px 0px 0px;}.kt-accordion-id_d10977-83 .wp-block-kadence-pane .kt-accordion-header-wrap .kt-blocks-accordion-header {color:#555555;background:#f2f2f2;border-color:#555555 #555555 #555555 #555555;font-size:18px;line-height:24px;border-radius:0px 0px 0px 0px;border-width:0px 0px 0px 0px;padding-top:10px;padding-right:14px;padding-bottom:10px;padding-left:14px;}.kt-accordion-id_d10977-83 .kt-blocks-accordion-header .kt-btn-svg-icon svg {width:18px;height:18px;}.kt-accordion-id_d10977-83:not( .kt-accodion-icon-style-basiccircle ):not( .kt-accodion-icon-style-xclosecircle ):not( .kt-accodion-icon-style-arrowcircle ) .kt-blocks-accordion-icon-trigger:after, .kt-accordion-id_d10977-83:not( .kt-accodion-icon-style-basiccircle ):not( .kt-accodion-icon-style-xclosecircle ):not( .kt-accodion-icon-style-arrowcircle ) .kt-blocks-accordion-icon-trigger:before 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.kt-accodion-icon-style-arrowcircle ) .kt-blocks-accordion-header:hover .kt-blocks-accordion-icon-trigger:after, .kt-accordion-id_d10977-83:not( .kt-accodion-icon-style-basiccircle ):not( .kt-accodion-icon-style-xclosecircle ):not( .kt-accodion-icon-style-arrowcircle ) .kt-blocks-accordion-header:hover .kt-blocks-accordion-icon-trigger:before, .kt-accordion-id_d10977-83:not( .kt-accodion-icon-style-basiccircle ):not( .kt-accodion-icon-style-xclosecircle ):not( .kt-accodion-icon-style-arrowcircle ) .kt-blocks-accordion-header:focus .kt-blocks-accordion-icon-trigger:after, .kt-accordion-id_d10977-83:not( .kt-accodion-icon-style-basiccircle ):not( .kt-accodion-icon-style-xclosecircle ):not( .kt-accodion-icon-style-arrowcircle ) .kt-blocks-accordion-header:focus .kt-blocks-accordion-icon-trigger:before {background:#444444;}.kt-accordion-id_d10977-83:not( .kt-accodion-icon-style-basic ):not( .kt-accodion-icon-style-xclose ):not( .kt-accodion-icon-style-arrow ) .kt-blocks-accordion-header:hover .kt-blocks-accordion-icon-trigger, .kt-accordion-id_d10977-83:not( .kt-accodion-icon-style-basic ):not( .kt-accodion-icon-style-xclose ):not( .kt-accodion-icon-style-arrow ) .kt-blocks-accordion-header:focus .kt-blocks-accordion-icon-trigger {background:#444444;}.kt-accordion-id_d10977-83:not( .kt-accodion-icon-style-basic ):not( .kt-accodion-icon-style-xclose ):not( .kt-accodion-icon-style-arrow ) .kt-blocks-accordion-header:hover .kt-blocks-accordion-icon-trigger:after, .kt-accordion-id_d10977-83:not( .kt-accodion-icon-style-basic ):not( .kt-accodion-icon-style-xclose ):not( .kt-accodion-icon-style-arrow ) .kt-blocks-accordion-header:hover .kt-blocks-accordion-icon-trigger:before, .kt-accordion-id_d10977-83:not( .kt-accodion-icon-style-basic ):not( .kt-accodion-icon-style-xclose ):not( .kt-accodion-icon-style-arrow ) .kt-blocks-accordion-header:focus .kt-blocks-accordion-icon-trigger:after, .kt-accordion-id_d10977-83:not( .kt-accodion-icon-style-basic ):not( .kt-accodion-icon-style-xclose ):not( .kt-accodion-icon-style-arrow ) .kt-blocks-accordion-header:focus .kt-blocks-accordion-icon-trigger:before {background:#eeeeee;}.kt-accordion-id_d10977-83 .kt-accordion-header-wrap .kt-blocks-accordion-header.kt-accordion-panel-active {color:#ffffff;background:#444444;border-color:#444444 #444444 #444444 #444444;}.kt-accordion-id_d10977-83:not( .kt-accodion-icon-style-basiccircle ):not( .kt-accodion-icon-style-xclosecircle ):not( .kt-accodion-icon-style-arrowcircle ) .kt-blocks-accordion-header.kt-accordion-panel-active .kt-blocks-accordion-icon-trigger:after, .kt-accordion-id_d10977-83:not( .kt-accodion-icon-style-basiccircle ):not( .kt-accodion-icon-style-xclosecircle ):not( .kt-accodion-icon-style-arrowcircle ) .kt-blocks-accordion-header.kt-accordion-panel-active .kt-blocks-accordion-icon-trigger:before {background:#ffffff;}.kt-accordion-id_d10977-83:not( .kt-accodion-icon-style-basic ):not( .kt-accodion-icon-style-xclose ):not( .kt-accodion-icon-style-arrow ) .kt-blocks-accordion-header.kt-accordion-panel-active .kt-blocks-accordion-icon-trigger {background:#ffffff;}.kt-accordion-id_d10977-83:not( .kt-accodion-icon-style-basic ):not( .kt-accodion-icon-style-xclose ):not( .kt-accodion-icon-style-arrow ) .kt-blocks-accordion-header.kt-accordion-panel-active .kt-blocks-accordion-icon-trigger:after, .kt-accordion-id_d10977-83:not( .kt-accodion-icon-style-basic ):not( .kt-accodion-icon-style-xclose ):not( .kt-accodion-icon-style-arrow ) .kt-blocks-accordion-header.kt-accordion-panel-active .kt-blocks-accordion-icon-trigger:before {background:#444444;}<\/style>\n<div class=\"wp-block-kadence-accordion alignnone\"><div class=\"kt-accordion-wrap kt-accordion-wrap kt-accordion-id_d10977-83 kt-accordion-has-18-panes kt-active-pane-5 kt-accordion-block kt-pane-header-alignment-left kt-accodion-icon-style-basic kt-accodion-icon-side-right\" style=\"max-width:none\"><div class=\"kt-accordion-inner-wrap\" data-allow-multiple-open=\"true\" data-start-open=\"5\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-kadence-pane kt-accordion-pane kt-accordion-pane-14 kt-pane_2a5851-88\"><div class=\"kt-accordion-header-wrap\"><button class=\"kt-blocks-accordion-header kt-acccordion-button-label-show\"><span class=\"kt-blocks-accordion-title-wrap\"><span class=\"kt-blocks-accordion-title\"><strong>First Reading <\/strong><\/span><\/span><span class=\"kt-blocks-accordion-icon-trigger\"><\/span><\/button><\/div><div class=\"kt-accordion-panel\"><div class=\"kt-accordion-panel-inner\">\n<p>Is 11:1-10<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>He shall judge the poor with justice.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>A reading from the Book of the Prophet Isiaiah<\/strong><br><br>On that day, a shoot shall sprout from the stump of Jesse,<br>&nbsp;&nbsp; and from his roots a bud shall blossom.<br>The spirit of the LORD shall rest upon him:<br>&nbsp;&nbsp; a spirit of wisdom and of understanding,<br>a spirit of counsel and of strength,<br>&nbsp;&nbsp; a spirit of knowledge and of fear of the LORD,<br>&nbsp;&nbsp; and his delight shall be the fear of the LORD.<br>Not by appearance shall he judge,<br>&nbsp;&nbsp; nor by hearsay shall he decide,<br>but he shall judge the poor with justice,<br>&nbsp;&nbsp; and decide aright for the land\u2019s afflicted.<br>He shall strike the ruthless with the rod of his mouth,<br>&nbsp;&nbsp; and with the breath of his lips he shall slay the wicked.<br>Justice shall be the band around his waist,<br>&nbsp;&nbsp; and faithfulness a belt upon his hips.<br>Then the wolf shall be a guest of the lamb,<br>&nbsp;&nbsp; and the leopard shall lie down with the kid;<br>the calf and the young lion shall browse together,<br>&nbsp;&nbsp; with a little child to guide them.<br>The cow and the bear shall be neighbors,<br>&nbsp;&nbsp; together their young shall rest;<br>&nbsp;&nbsp; the lion shall eat hay like the ox.<br>The baby shall play by the cobra\u2019s den,<br>&nbsp;&nbsp; and the child lay his hand on the adder\u2019s lair.<br>There shall be no harm or ruin on all my holy mountain;<br>&nbsp;&nbsp; for the earth shall be filled with knowledge of the LORD,<br>&nbsp;&nbsp; as water covers the sea.<br>On that day, the root of Jesse,<br>&nbsp;&nbsp; set up as a signal for the nations,<br>the Gentiles shall seek out,<br>&nbsp;&nbsp; for his dwelling shall be glorious.<br><br><strong>The word of the Lord.<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-kadence-pane kt-accordion-pane kt-accordion-pane-15 kt-pane_5a6b54-82\"><div class=\"kt-accordion-header-wrap\"><button class=\"kt-blocks-accordion-header kt-acccordion-button-label-show\"><span class=\"kt-blocks-accordion-title-wrap\"><span class=\"kt-blocks-accordion-title\"><strong>Responsorial Psalm<\/strong><\/span><\/span><span class=\"kt-blocks-accordion-icon-trigger\"><\/span><\/button><\/div><div class=\"kt-accordion-panel\"><div class=\"kt-accordion-panel-inner\">\n<p>Responsorial Psalm<br>Ps 72:1-2, 7-8, 12-13, 17.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>R. :<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u211f. (cf. 7)&nbsp;<strong>Justice shall flourish in his time, and fullness of peace for ever.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>O God, with your judgment endow the king,<br>&nbsp;&nbsp; and with your justice, the king\u2019s son;<br>he shall govern your people with justice<br>&nbsp;&nbsp; and your afflicted ones with judgment.<br><br>\u211f.&nbsp;<strong>Justice shall flourish in his time, and fullness of peace for ever.<\/strong><br><br>Justice shall flower in his days,<br>&nbsp;&nbsp; and profound peace, till the moon be no more.<br>May he rule from sea to sea,<br>&nbsp;&nbsp; and from the River to the ends of the earth.<br><br>\u211f.&nbsp;<strong>Justice shall flourish in his time, and fullness of peace for ever.<\/strong><br><br>For he shall rescue the poor when he cries out,<br>&nbsp;&nbsp; and the afflicted when he has no one to help him.<br>He shall have pity for the lowly and the poor;<br>&nbsp;&nbsp; the lives of the poor he shall save.<br><br>\u211f.&nbsp;<strong>Justice shall flourish in his time, and fullness of peace for ever.<\/strong><br><br>May his name be blessed forever;<br>&nbsp;&nbsp; as long as the sun his name shall remain.<br>In him shall all the tribes of the earth be blessed;<br>&nbsp;&nbsp; all the nations shall proclaim his happiness.<br><br>\u211f.&nbsp;<strong>Justice shall flourish in his time, and fullness of peace for ever.<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-kadence-pane kt-accordion-pane kt-accordion-pane-16 kt-pane_989706-14\"><div class=\"kt-accordion-header-wrap\"><button class=\"kt-blocks-accordion-header kt-acccordion-button-label-show\"><span class=\"kt-blocks-accordion-title-wrap\"><span class=\"kt-blocks-accordion-title\"><strong>Second Reading<\/strong><\/span><\/span><span class=\"kt-blocks-accordion-icon-trigger\"><\/span><\/button><\/div><div class=\"kt-accordion-panel\"><div class=\"kt-accordion-panel-inner\">\n<p>Second Reading<br>Rom 15:4-9<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Christ saves everyone.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>A reading from the Letter of Saint Paul to the Romans<\/strong><br><br>Brothers and sisters:<br>Whatever was written previously was written for our instruction,<br>&nbsp;&nbsp; that by endurance and by the encouragement of the Scriptures<br>&nbsp;&nbsp; we might have hope.<br>May the God of endurance and encouragement<br>&nbsp;&nbsp; grant you to think in harmony with one another,<br>&nbsp;&nbsp; in keeping with Christ Jesus,<br>&nbsp;&nbsp; that with one accord you may with one voice<br>&nbsp;&nbsp; glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.<br><br>Welcome one another, then, as Christ welcomed you,<br>&nbsp;&nbsp; for the glory of God.<br>For I say that Christ became a minister of the circumcised<br>&nbsp;&nbsp; to show God\u2019s truthfulness,<br>&nbsp;&nbsp; to confirm the promises to the patriarchs,<br>&nbsp;&nbsp; but so that the Gentiles might glorify God for his mercy.<br>As it is written:<br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;<em>Therefore, I will praise you among the Gentiles<br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; and sing praises to your name.<\/em><br><br><strong>The word of the Lord.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Acclamation before the Gospel<br>Lk 3: 4, 6<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u211f.&nbsp;<strong>Alleluia, alleluia.<\/strong><br><br>Prepare the way of the Lord, make straight his paths;<br>all flesh shall see the salvation of God.<br><br>\u211f.&nbsp;<strong>Alleluia, alleluia.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><br><\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-kadence-pane kt-accordion-pane kt-accordion-pane-18 kt-pane_80aa8e-15\"><div class=\"kt-accordion-header-wrap\"><button class=\"kt-blocks-accordion-header kt-acccordion-button-label-show\"><span class=\"kt-blocks-accordion-title-wrap\"><span class=\"kt-blocks-accordion-title\"><strong>Gospel<\/strong><\/span><\/span><span class=\"kt-blocks-accordion-icon-trigger\"><\/span><\/button><\/div><div class=\"kt-accordion-panel\"><div class=\"kt-accordion-panel-inner\">\n<p>Mt 3:1-12<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Repent, for the kingdom of God is at hand!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u2720&nbsp;<strong>A reading from the holy Gospel according to Matthew<\/strong><br><br>John the Baptist appeared, preaching in the desert of Judea<br>&nbsp;&nbsp; and saying, \u201cRepent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand!\u201d<br>It was of him that the prophet Isaiah had spoken when he said:<br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;<em>A voice of one crying out in the desert,<br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Prepare the way of the Lord,<br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; make straight his paths.<\/em><br>John wore clothing made of camel\u2019s hair<br>&nbsp;&nbsp; and had a leather belt around his waist.<br>His food was locusts and wild honey.<br>At that time Jerusalem, all Judea,<br>&nbsp;&nbsp; and the whole region around the Jordan<br>&nbsp;&nbsp; were going out to him<br>&nbsp;&nbsp; and were being baptized by him in the Jordan River<br>&nbsp;&nbsp; as they acknowledged their sins.<br><br>When he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees<br>&nbsp;&nbsp; coming to his baptism, he said to them, \u201cYou brood of vipers!<br>Who warned you to flee from the coming wrath?<br>Produce good fruit as evidence of your repentance.<br>And do not presume to say to yourselves,<br>&nbsp;&nbsp; \u2018We have Abraham as our father.\u2019<br>For I tell you,<br>&nbsp;&nbsp; God can raise up children to Abraham from these stones.<br>Even now the ax lies at the root of the trees.<br>Therefore every tree that does not bear good fruit<br>&nbsp;&nbsp; will be cut down and thrown into the fire.<br>I am baptizing you with water, for repentance,<br>&nbsp;&nbsp; but the one who is coming after me is mightier than I.<br>I am not worthy to carry his sandals.<br>He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire.<br>His winnowing fan is in his hand.<br>He will clear his threshing floor<br>&nbsp;&nbsp; and gather his wheat into his barn,<br>&nbsp;&nbsp; but the chaff he will burn with unquenchable fire.\u201d<br><br>At the end of the Gospel, the Deacon, or the Priest, acclaims:<br><br><strong>The Gospel of the Lord.<\/strong><br><br>All reply:<br><br><strong>Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ.<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-background\" style=\"background-color:#fad899\"><strong>Reflection<\/strong><br><br>The Liturgy of the Word on this Second Sunday of Advent presents us with John the Baptist, with the purpose of focusing on his ministry of calling the people of Israel to repentance in preparation for the coming of the Messiah. Even in the First Reading, although the proclamation differs somewhat, Isaiah, like John the Baptist, heralds the coming of the Messiah, who will bring about order.<br><br>The First Reading presents us with the One sent by God, filled and transformed by God\u2019s Spirit, so that His judgement is not influenced by aversions and sympathies, as we are, but by truth. His word strikes certain individuals with the hope that it will lead them onto the righteous path (as John the Baptist did in the Gospel when he rebuked the Pharisees who went to be baptised by him), while at the same time his word lifted up the poor and restored their dignity.<br><br>In the Gospel, John calls for repentance in preparation for Baptism with the Holy Spirit and fire, the same grace with which the One sent by God, foretold by the Prophet Isaiah, was to be filled\u2014as you may have noticed, what we refer to as the gifts of the Holy Spirit were mentioned\u2014those gifts that we receive in the Sacrament of Confirmation, which renews within us the grace of Baptism, but this time they enable us to become witnesses of Him who has sent us. Isaiah goes a step further by describing, through extraordinary imagery, how the new kingdom of the One sent by God would be: where the wolf will live alongside the lamb, and the leopard lying down with the kid.<br><br>I remember, there was a member of the Society of Christian Doctrine (MUSEUM), who to tease another member, who was slightly more scrupulous, told him that Isaiah must have been drunk when he wrote those words. It was a joke, but perhaps it was an ironic one, because we often become intoxicated by passing the time with countless distractions trying to forget our problems at work, in our families, and of life in general. We distract ourselves to the point of closing ourselves off, trying not to be affected by anything, in the same way that a person gets drunk to escape reality until one enters another reality. Whoever has experienced being drunk, can probably better understand what I mean!<br><br>But today, God\u2019s Word demonstrates to us that the solution is not drunkenness or other means such as morphine to deaden our pain instead of facing our sufferings and allowing them to be touched by God\u2019s grace, nor should we allow those things to numb us and make us forget what we need to remember more clearly, because in those areas we need repentance and God\u2019s forgiveness. The solution is to allow the dry stump of our soul to revive, so that a shoot may spring forth, as Isaiah describes, and as John warns that where this does not take place the tree will be cut down: the One sent by God, the Messiah, will come seeking fruit from this shoot to gather and thresh, and fill His barns with wheat. He builds His Kingdom also by the small efforts we offer every day, increasing our offering daily, if possible, but if not, it is no issue, just try again.<br><br>Isaiah\u2019s vision of the world may sound unrealistic for us to truly imagine, and John\u2019s vision is so severe that we could easily disregard it because it sounds politically incorrect. So, what are we to do? Where should we go? Where are we going to find shelter and strength?<br><br>In the Second Reading, Paul writes to the Romans: \u201cby perseverance and the encouragement of the Scriptures, we may continue to have hope.\u201d These words must remind us of the seriousness of what we are discussing in the sphere of the Christian life, and it is already clear that in our times we will need to stand firm for what we believe in. But these are also words of comfort, that sustain us in patience because we must wait and strive until true justice is fulfilled, while holding on to the hope that the joy promised will one day be accomplished, even if we must for now exercise restraint, or find ourselves in hostile confrontations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote\"><p><strong>Prayer<\/strong><\/p><p>Lord, inscribe in my heart the word \u2018Hope\u2019, so that, like You, I may dream and believe that the impossible can become reality if, according to our abilities we strive to build a better world, in which there are no more casualties or assassins, without criminals or victims, where there is no more fear\u2014of the wicked nor the fear of Your mighty arm. Let our hope be the same shoot through which You open the way to a new and renewed life that leads to Your Kingdom. Amen. <\/p><\/blockquote>\n","protected":false},"featured_media":13883,"template":"","rizors":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO Premium plugin v16.4 (Yoast SEO v16.4) - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<title>Repent, for the kingdom of God is at hand! - Behold<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/behold.mt\/en\/talba-bil-kelma\/repent-for-the-kingdom-of-god-is-at-hand\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Repent, for the kingdom of God is at hand! - Behold\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Second Sunday of Advent Year A  Collect   Almighty and merciful God, may no earthly undertaking hinder those who set out in haste to meet your Son, but may our learning of heavenly wisdom gain us admittance to his company. Who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen... 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