Peggy Stanton’s Notes on the Gospel for the 2nd Sunday in Advent

Para 438… Jesus’ messianic consecration reveals his divine mission,“ for the name, ‘Christ’ implies he who anointed, he who was anointed, and the very anointing with which he was anointed. The one who anointed is the Father, the one who was anointed, is the Son, and he was anointed with the Spirit who is the anointing. His eternal Messianic consecration was revealed during the time of his earthly life at the moment of his baptism by John, when God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit, and with power” that he might be revealed to Israel as its Messiah. His works and words will manifest him as “the holy one of God”.

Para. 613… Christ’s death is both the paschal sacrifice that accomplishes the definitive redemption of men, through the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world, and the sacrifice of the new covenant, which restores man to communion with God, by reconciling him to God through” the blood of the covenant, which was poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins.”

Para. 717…“ There was a man sent from God, whose name was John.” JOHN was filled with the Holy Spirit, even from his mothers womb by Christ himself, whom the Virgin Mary had just conceived by the Holy Spirit. Mary’s visitation to elizabeth thus became a visit from God to his people.

Para. 718… John is Elijah who must come. The fire of the spirit dwells in him and makes him the forerunner of the coming Lord. In John, the precursor, the Holy Spirit completes the work of“ making ready a people prepared for the Lord.“

(Repetition from last week) Both of these last paragraphs were read last week. They could bear repeating.)

Para. 719… John, the Baptist is more than a prophet.“ In him, the Holy Spirit concludes his speaking through the prophets. John completes the cycle of prophets begun by Elijah. He proclaims the imminence of the consolation of Israel; he is the“voice”of the consoler who is coming. As the Spirit of truth will also do, John“came to bear witness to the light.” In John’s sight, the Spirit brings to completion, the careful search of the prophets and fulfills the longing of the angels. “He on whom you see the Spirit descend, and remain, this is he,who baptizes with the Holy Spirit. And I have seen and have born witness that this is the son of God… Behold the lamb of God.”

Para. 720… Finally, with John the Baptist, the Holy Spirit begins the restoration to man of the divine likeness, prefiguring what he would achieve with, and in Christ. John’s Baptism was for repentance; Baptism and water, and the Spirit will be a new birth.