December 08, 2019
Second Sunday of Advent
Many of us wanted to listen to a new person in town, from Albany, the new Temporary Administrator of the Diocese of Buffalo, Bishop Edward Scharfenberger. We tuned into the press conference to listen to his opening remarks and responses to reporters. In the Gospel according to Matthew people are drawn to the Judean desert near the Jordan river to listen to a man called John, nicknamed “the Baptist.” He was crying out: “Prepare the way of the Lord.” John is a bit strange wearing camel hair, a leather belt and eating grasshoppers. He doesn’t mince his words: “You brood of vipers!” He calls those who dare to come closer to repent and be baptized as a symbolic act of conversion to “produce good fruit as evidence of your repentance.” John goes on to say that there is “one who is coming after me mightier than I.” John baptizes with water; the one coming will baptize with the Holy Spirit and fire.
Bishop Edward Scharfenberger “is preparing the way of Lord.” It has been a very difficult two years. There are issues that must be faced now that cannot be left for the new Bishop to be appointed by the Pope. Our readings from Isaiah and St. Paul give us a sense of the mission at hand. Isaiah challenges Kings for their superficial/selfish concern for “appearances” and for not judging with justice and deciding right for the afflicted. The Spirit of the Lord will rest upon the promised future Davidic King and endow him with wisdom, understanding, counsel, strength, knowledge and fear of the Lord. St. Paul writes to the church at Rome to address division and discord by emphasizing instruction in Scripture and encouraging Jewish and Gentile Christians “to think in harmony with one another, in keeping with Jesus Christ…” Thinking in harmony does not mean all think alike but it does means our thoughts and behaviors are modeled on Christ.
The path ahead for Bishop Scharfenberger and for all of us will entail guidance from Sacred Scripture, openness to the Holy Spirit, a commitment to honesty and justice, compassion for the afflicted and respect for one another as we address and amend priest abuse of minors and vulnerable adults. On Saturday morning, Bishop Scharfenberger attended a meeting scheduled by the Movement to Restore Trust at Canisius College. This is significant. The mission given to us as Church to heal and restore trust must include the laity. As St. Paul writes to the Romans it is the only way we “might glorify God for his mercy.”
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First Sunday of Advent
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3rd Sunday of Advent
