A homily for the Third Sunday of Advent, December 11, 2022
Is 35:1-6a, 10, Jas 5:7-10, Mt 11:2-11
Back in the 1970s, my brother Steve and I scored tickets to a dress rehearsal for “Saturday Night Live” in an attempt to impress two lady friends of his from college. They were visiting New York from Tennessee, and after the show, it became painfully clear they were impressed with everything except us.
But that’s a sad story for another day.
Meanwhile, I was unimpressed with that week’s show, except for the warmup. As I recall, I laughed until my ribs hurt. I was all ready to laugh my way until the closing theme, even though it turned out I didn’t.
Most TV shows with a live audience get a warmup before the taping or the live airing begins. If it’s a scripted sitcom or sketch comedy show, the warmup performer usually is a standup comedian. If the show is more serious, the warmup might be a member of the writing or production staff, or possibly the game show host or lead actor(s), answering questions about the show overall and perhaps hinting at what the audience will see in the episode about to unfold.
Even the opening act at a concert is a kind of warmup. A good opening band or some other performer sets the mood for the headliner coming next.
In a somewhat related tale, I recall that when I was new to the newspaper business some (mumble, mumble) years ago, some plainclothes state troopers and a publicist inspected The Daily Register the day before a scheduled visit from the governor. They were typical of all major political players’ and world leaders’ advance teams, even those of today: advance teams for presidents, popes, and potentates. They check out the surroundings and get a feel for the likely audience — welcoming or hostile. Then they report back to the boss and the trip organizers adjust their plans accordingly.
Jesus had the greatest advance teams in human history, the prophet Isaiah and John the Baptist. Each primed the audience for the main act, the Savior of the World.
Each, of course, did far more than rile up the crowd, but to their immediate listeners what they had to say probably landed the same way a pre-show warmup still does today.
And when we think about it, that’s OK. That’s not to diminish their impact or otherwise trivialize the roles they played.
Isaiah and John gave the world a small taste of the abundant spiritual nourishment that Jesus provided and still provides. They got the crowds thinking about the wonders that the Wonder Counselor would deliver.
What Jesus did, what Jesus does is such a radical, earth-shattering and world-transforming set of challenges to the status quo that it has taken more than two millennia for we puny humans to wrap our heads around it.
Feed, clothe, shelter and protect those in need among us.
Free prisoners, especially prisoners of conscience.
Heal the sick, those sisters and brothers who are ill in body and those ailing in mind and spirit.
End the wealth gap.
Demand that rulers of the people are leaders, not bosses, and that they lead with charity and justice.
Love God and love your neighbor as yourself.
Jesus flipped the world on its head, and many of us still suffer figurative migraines because he did.
But humankind was warned. Jesus had his warmup acts, his advance teams.
And for us, for the women and men among us who try our God-given best to embrace and live the Gospel, our task is to serve as an ongoing advance team. To share what we believe and do what we can to enlighten all and any who may get to know Emmanuel better.
To share the ultimate joy of having a relationship with the Newborn King.
