Preparing the way
Third Sunday of Advent
St Mary’s, Barnes, 10 am
Isaiah 35.1-10; Matthew 11.2-11
The world contains multiple religions, especially the great world religions, Islam, Hinduism, Buddhism, Judaism and Sikhism. What, from a Christian point of view are we to make of them? Some say they are all equally valid ways to God. But this is to ignore the real differences between them. Buddhism, for example does not believe in a creator God, whilst Islam and Judaism both reject the central claim of Christianity. Honesty demands that we recognise and acknowledge those differences. Others argue that they are all equally false. But would a God of love, who loves every human being, leave most of the world without any awareness of his presence in however a limited form? When St Paul was in Athens surrounded by idols he could still appeal to their own culture when he told them that:
They were to seek God in the hope that, groping after him, they might find him; though indeed he is not far from each one of us, for in him we live and move and have our being; as some of your own poets have said , “We are also his offspring”. (Acts 17.27/8)
The practical implication of this is that the only way to understand other religions is to enter, trustingly, into relationship and dialogue with those of a different faith to our own, leaving aside stereotypes - and see what emerges. My own experience is that this is mutually enriching.
Against that background the Christian claim is that God has entered into a special relationship with a particular people, the Jews, and that this has come to a focus in Jesus. All people have some capacity to know God in their hearts, but God has chosen to reveal himself definitively in a particular segment of human history. This does not mean he loves those within that tradition more than others, but that it is the nature of revelation that it must be particular as well as general. We might think of someone will three children at the sea side. A large wave suddenly sweeps away one of them and the parent dives in and rescues them. This does not mean she loves that child more than the others, but in that act she reveals her love in a special way. What she does for one is revelatory of a love she has for all.
So God has chosen a particular people and within it raised up particular individuals to recall them time and again to their special vocation. One of them was Isaiah whom we heard in the first lesson. He lived in the 8th century before Christ at a time when Assyria was threatening the existence of Israel. He not only called the people to be faithful, he looked forward to a time when the world would be radically different-the wilderness would blossom, the sick would be healed, all would be at peace, sorrow and sighing would flee away, joy and gladness would abound and the glory of God would shine through all things.
It is this passage amongst others that Matthew has in mind in todays Gospel. John the Baptist in prison sends to ask if Jesus is the long expected one or was he to wait for another. Jesus sends his disciples back with the message that the blind receive their sight, the lame walk, the leper are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead raised and the poor have good news brought to them. He then tells the crowd that John is not just a prophet, but more than a prophet. ‘See I am sending my messenger ahead of you, who will prepare your way before you. If you go into an Orthodox Church at the centre of the Iconostasis there is a large Icon of Christ in the middle with on one side Mary holding out her hand and pointing to Christ, and on the other, John the Baptist doing the same. It symbolises that the long period of preparation has come to its focus and climax.
But the majority of Jews did not accept this, and Judaism continues today as a separate religion, vital and valid in its own right. Sadly this led the church into the most pernicious views about Jews, what has been called the teaching of contempt, which prepared the way for the 19th century antisemitism culminating in the holocaust. Since then, thank God the churches have radically revised their teaching about Judaism. Instead of saying that God has discarded his ancient people and is punishing them, the emphasis now is on the words of St Paul in his letter to the Romans that God’s gifts and his calling to the Jewish people ‘are irrevocable’ (Romans 11.29). This pre-Christmas period is also the Jewish feast of Chanukah, and it is sad to relate that antisemitism, always a light sleeper, is still virulent, There were more than 2000 anti semitic incidents in 2024 and more than 1500 in the first half of 2025. For the avoidance of misunderstanding I should stress that criticism of the present policies of the Israeli government is not antisemitism. That said, Christians have a particular responsibility to oppose antisemitism wherever it lurks.
The continued existence of Judaism as a living religion poses a theological challenge to Christians, which has no easy answer. We can but trust that all is in the hands of God. But the readings for this Sunday take us into the heart of a faith which is shared by both Jews and Christians - That there is a wise and loving power behind the universe who has a purpose for every person. And in order to make that purpose clear he has chosen a particular people and through the vicissitudes of their history disclosed his heart and mind.
As Christians we believe this has come to a climax and focus in Jesus crucified, risen and living in us through his Holy Spirit. When the sun shines through a magnifying glass it concentrates the sunlight to a focal point which can set alight any paper on which it falls. God’s light shines in every heart but in Christ it comes to a focal point. We are the paper, if you like, to be set alight There is a fine collect today which well fits our readings
O Lord Jesus Christ, who at your first coming sent your messenger to prepare your way before you: grant that the ministers and stewards of your mysteries may likewise so prepare and make ready your way.
We are all ministers and stewards of the mysteries, like John the Baptist preparing the way for God’s spirit to touch the hearts of those with whom we have to do.