A Second Look
Second Sunday of Advent
December 10, 2006

A Second Look
by Tom Cox

Seeing an old Biblical manuscript can give you quite a shock at first. Everything is written in Capital letters with no spaces or punctuation. If it were in English, it would look a bit like this: INTHEFIFTEENTHYEAROFTIBERIUSCAESARSREIGNWHENPONTIUSPILATEWASGOVERNEROFJUDEA.

You might just have made out that it was the opening of today’s Gospel. So, you can see why punctuation helps. The cramped script is ironic really, as John was a child of the open places. Ten days into an already short Advent season, he’s demanding attention, crying out. Like a dog warning you of someone coming to the house- he won’t give up until you pay attention. The echo of his voice rumbles across the desert of people’s lives announcing a decisive turning point in the history of the world. Are you ready?

It’s a very broad canvas, with sweeping brushstrokes we’re told every valley shall be filled. Every mountain and hill shall be laid low. Beware of small horizons. Come on," John seems to be saying, "Time to get your life back into focus. “Come on, time to think about who you are and what you long to be." No more than letters make little sense without the precious scaffolding of word and punctuation, so without some space to listen to God in our lives, we run the risk of life not making any sense either.

(Comments to Tom at tomascox@eircom.net )