Før angelus-bønnen sist søndag sa pave Benedikt flere aktuelle ting om adventstida som vi nå er inne i. Han nevnte hvordan inkarnasjonen brakte Gud nær oss, gjennom Jesu komme til jorden. Dette fellesskapet mellom Gud og oss må også videreutvikles og realiseres mellom oss mennesker. Advent inviterer oss også til å se fram imot det himmelse Jerusalem, som er målet for vår jordiske vandring. Avslutningsvis nevnte han også Johannes Døperen (som jeg selv la mest vekt på i prekenen sist søndag), som oppfordrer oss også i år til å forberede plass for Jesus Kristus i vårt hjerte. Her er litt av det paven sa:
In these days the liturgy reminds us constantly that «God comes» to visit his people, to dwell in the midst of men and to form with them a communion of love and life, that is, a family. John’s Gospel expresses thus the mystery of the Incarnation: «And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us»; literally, «he made his dwelling among us» (John 1:14).
…though it is God who takes the initiative of coming to dwell in the midst of men, and he is always the main architect of this plan, it is also true that he does not will to carry it out without our active cooperation. Therefore, to prepare for Christmas means to commit oneself to build «God’s dwelling with men.» No one is excluded; every one can and must contribute so that this house of communion will be more spacious and beautiful.
At the end of time, it will be completed and will be the «heavenly Jerusalem» … Advent invites us to turn our gaze toward the «heavenly Jerusalem,» which is the ultimate end of our earthly pilgrimage. At the same time, it exhorts us to commit ourselves with prayer, conversion and good works, to welcome Jesus in our lives, to construct with him this spiritual building of which each one of us — our families and our communities — is a precious stone.
Among all the stones that make up the heavenly Jerusalem, certainly the most resplendent and valuable, because of all of them it is the one closest to Christ — the cornerstone — is Mary Most Holy. Through her intercession, let us pray that this Advent will be for the whole Church a time of spiritual building and so speed up the coming of the Kingdom of God.
… On this second Sunday of Advent, the Church puts before us the figure of John the Baptist, the voice crying in the wilderness: «Prepare a way for the Lord». During this Advent season, as we wait in joyful hope for the coming of Christ, let us prepare a place for him in our hearts. I invoke God’s abundant blessings upon all of you, and upon your families and loved ones at home.