Today is the Second Sunday of Advent. Today's Gospel speaks to us about Saint John the Baptist, who calls us to repent of our sins to prepare ourselves for the coming of Jesus, for the Kingdom of Heaven. The priest told us that we must not confuse remorse with repentance. Remorse makes us feel bad about our sins, but it doesn't last long. On the other hand, if we are truly repentant, we will experience a change in our way of thinking, a true conversion of heart. And we will change our behavior, turning away from our sins. This is why Saint John the Baptist calls us to repentance. We must then, in repentance, approach the source of grace, who is Jesus Christ, and confess our sins in the confessional. Let us also remember what we declare in the Act of Contrition, where we promise: "to avoid occasions of sin, to confess my sins, and to do penance..." And thus we will receive Jesus with a heart worthy of Him.
Today it was also my turn to read the first reading, where the prophet Isaiah speaks of a beautiful promise when Jesus comes, among other things, that the lion and the horse will graze together. This represents the peace that can only come in the presence of Jesus. With the hope of this peace, I share with you a small painting I did a few years ago, which exemplifies the peace that can come to our hearts if we have a true conversion and allow Jesus to reign in our lives: it is a lamb beside a lion, under a star, which could well be the Star of Bethlehem.
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