Transformation and Leadership

The texts from the Roman Catholic Lectionary today, the Second Sunday of Advent, challenge us to accept the invitation to contemplate the transformation the Spirit is calling us to accept during this Advent season.

The Wonder of Advent

The Reading from the Book of the Prophet Isaiah describes the Ideal Davidic King.

* [11:1–16] Isaiah 11 contains a prophecy of the rise of a new Davidic king who will embody the ancient ideal of Davidic kingship (vv. 1–9), an elaboration of that prophecy in a further description of that king’s rule (v. 10), and a prophecy of God’s deliverance of the chosen people from exile and cessation of enmities (vv. 11–16).

* [11:1–9 (10)] Here Isaiah looks forward to a new Davidide who will realize the ancient ideals (see Ps 72). The oracle does not seem to have a particular historical person in mind.

* [11:1] Shoot…stump: the imagery suggests the bankruptcy of the monarchy as embodied in the historical kings, along with the need for a new beginning, to spring from the very origin from which David and his dynasty arose. Jesse: David’s father (cf. 1 Sm 16:1–13).

* [11:2–3] The source of the traditional names of the gifts of the Holy Spirit. The Septuagint and the Vulgate read “piety” for “fear of the Lord” in its first occurrence, thus listing seven gifts.

* [11:6–9] This picture of the idyllic harmony of paradise is a dramatic symbol of universal peace and justice under the rule of the new Davidic king. The peace and harmony even among carnivores and their natural prey in this description suggest a paradisiac aspect of the reign of the new king. (“Isaiah, CHAPTER 11 | USCCB,” n.d.)

Psalm 72 in which the Israelite king, as the representative of God, is the instrument of divine justice

* [Psalm 72] A royal Psalm in which the Israelite king, as the representative of God, is the instrument of divine justice (Ps 72:1–4, 12–14) and blessing (Ps 72:5–7, 15–17) for the whole world. The king is human, giving only what he has received from God. Hence intercession must be made for him. The extravagant language is typical of oriental royal courts. (“Psalms, PSALM 72 | USCCB,” n.d.)

The Reading from the Letter of Paul to the Romans declares God’s Fidelity and Mercy.

* [15:5] Think in harmony: a Greco-Roman ideal. Not rigid uniformity of thought and expression but thoughtful consideration of other people’s views finds expression here. (“Romans, CHAPTER 15 | USCCB,” n.d.)

The Gospel of Matthew proclaims the Preaching of John the Baptist.

* [3:1–12] Here Matthew takes up the order of Jesus’ ministry found in the gospel of Mark, beginning with the preparatory preaching of John the Baptist.

* [3:1] Unlike Luke, Matthew says nothing of the Baptist’s origins and does not make him a relative of Jesus. The desert of Judea: the barren region west of the Dead Sea extending up the Jordan valley.

* [3:2] Repent: the Baptist calls for a change of heart and conduct, a turning of one’s life from rebellion to obedience towards God. The kingdom of heaven is at hand: “heaven” (lit., “the heavens”) is a substitute for the name “God” that was avoided by devout Jews of the time out of reverence. The expression “the kingdom of heaven” occurs only in the gospel of Matthew. It means the effective rule of God over his people. In its fullness it includes not only human obedience to God’s word, but the triumph of God over physical evils, supremely over death. In the expectation found in Jewish apocalyptic, the kingdom was to be ushered in by a judgment in which sinners would be condemned and perish, an expectation shared by the Baptist. This was modified in Christian understanding where the kingdom was seen as being established in stages, culminating with the parousia of Jesus.

* [3:3] See note on Jn 1:23.

* [3:4] The clothing of John recalls the austere dress of the prophet Elijah (2 Kgs 1:8). The expectation of the return of Elijah from heaven to prepare Israel for the final manifestation of God’s kingdom was widespread, and according to Matthew this expectation was fulfilled in the Baptist’s ministry (Mt 11:14; 17:11–13).

* [3:6] Ritual washing was practiced by various groups in Palestine between 150 B.C. and A.D. 250. John’s baptism may have been related to the purificatory washings of the Essenes at Qumran.

* [3:7] Pharisees and Sadducees: the former were marked by devotion to the law, written and oral, and the scribes, experts in the law, belonged predominantly to this group. The Sadducees were the priestly aristocratic party, centered in Jerusalem. They accepted as scripture only the first five books of the Old Testament, followed only the letter of the law, rejected the oral legal traditions, and were opposed to teachings not found in the Pentateuch, such as the resurrection of the dead. Matthew links both of these groups together as enemies of Jesus (Mt 16:1, 6, 11, 12; cf. Mk 8:11–13, 15). The threatening words that follow are addressed to them rather than to “the crowds” as in Lk 3:7. The coming wrath: the judgment that will bring about the destruction of unrepentant sinners.

* [3:11] Baptize you with the holy Spirit and fire: the water baptism of John will be followed by an “immersion” of the repentant in the cleansing power of the Spirit of God, and of the unrepentant in the destroying power of God’s judgment. However, some see the holy Spirit and fire as synonymous, and the effect of this “baptism” as either purification or destruction. See note on Lk 3:16.

* [3:12] The discrimination between the good and the bad is compared to the procedure by which a farmer separates wheat and chaff. The winnowing fan was a forklike shovel with which the threshed wheat was thrown into the air. The kernels fell to the ground; the light chaff, blown off by the wind, was gathered and burned up. (“Matthew, CHAPTER 3 | USCCB,” n.d.)

Rev. Larry Gillick, SJ, declares there is One Who is coming to consecrate with both water and a Spirit who will create a fire for the “within” so that His Spirit will flower to the “with-out”. The harshness of the Law is to be replaced with the gentleness of the interior “fire”.

Now, get set! Prepare the way for today’s Reflector’s ponderings, a Meditation on, of all things, the Belly Button! We all have one at last count.

The Pharisees forgot to meditate on their little buttons. Their exterior actions and those of their fellow Jews were outward manifestations of these, which were the only important reality. self-satisfying and self-ratifying justifications were to be observed by others of course. The tree is not good, because it bears fruit. It produces fruit because of the goodness within. A tree’s belly buttons are its roots and fiber systems, without which it would not be a tree. Without our buttons, there would be no interior, no me.

Advent is an interior joyful time to “take-in” prayerfully, interiorly, the “fire” the, “Spirit” of life symbolized by those little tummy-tucks through which life flowed so that there would be the exterior.

Christmas is a comin’ and gifts are being prepared, good!!! We are definitely inside-out humans. From our guts and hearts we prepare to give and be gifts of the Life that never stops giving, livingly. “Belly up, mates!” (Gillick, n.d.)

Don Schwager quotes “The voice of the one crying in the wilderness,” by Theodoret of Cyr 393-466 A.D.

"The true consolation, the genuine comfort and the real deliverance from the iniquities of humankind is the incarnation of our God and Savior. Now the first who acted as herald of this event was the inspired John the Baptist. Accordingly, the prophetic text proclaims the realities that relate to him in advance, for that is what the three blessed Evangelists have taught us and that the most divine Mark has even made the prologue of his work. As for the inspired John, whom the Pharisees asked whether he himself was the Christ, he declared on his part: 'I am the voice of one crying in the wilderness, Make straight the way of the Lord' as the prophet Isaiah said (John 1:23; Isaiah 40:30); I am not God the Word but a voice, for it is as a herald that I am announcing God the Word, who is incarnate. Moreover, he refers to the Gentiles as the 'untrodden [land]' because they have not yet received the prophetic stamp." (excerpt from COMMENTARY ON ISAIAH 12.40.3) (Schwager, n.d.)

The Word Among Us Meditation on Matthew 3:1-12 asks “How is God calling you to prepare the way for the Lord today? Don’t let anything prevent you from receiving his hope and healing! Open your heart to the tender mercy of God!”

Are you burdened by guilt? Are you struggling to love someone? Or are you so stressed or preoccupied that you can’t even see your need to repent? Jesus delights to offer you absolution in the Sacrament of Reconciliation. He is also present with you right now, wherever you are. He dwells in the sanctuary of your heart, where you can lay bare your sins and receive his mercy. Confess your sins to the Lord today, and you will discover what John knew: Jesus is near; the kingdom is at hand.

“Lord Jesus, I repent of any sin that separates me from you.” (“Meditation on Matthew 3:1-12,” 2025)

Friar Jude Winkler comments that Isaiah begins to speak about the Messiah and hopes for a better successor to the king. The Messiah will be specially chosen and gifted by God. Seven of the gifts, the  last one translated in Greek as piety, is a perfect number of gifts that are numerous. Friar Jude asks us to consider which gift we should develop this Advent. The care of the poor was important in Isaiah time and the Messiah will bring true justice to the land. Romans reading is towards the end of the letter and intends to emphasize Jesus who has come as predicted and promised in the Hebrew testament, now invites Gentiles. In Matthew, John is seen as a New Elijah, calling Israel to accept the Messiah God is sending. The Baptist is calling the Pharisees out as vipers who are out for power. After followers of Jesus are exiled from Temple, the Pharisee are seen to embody evil. John the Baptist warns the Pharisees that judgement will come. Friar Jude encourages us to brutal honesty with God as to who we are and we are to become.

Fr. Mike Schmitz emphasizes that in our reading of Acts 20, Fr. Mike reflects on the healing of Eutychus, Paul's willingness to suffer for the sake of the Gospel, and Paul's tender affection for the people he ministered to. In 2 Corinthians, Fr. Mike also highlights Paul's encouragement to hold onto the hope of beholding the glory of God with unveiled faces and to persevere in our afflictions as they prepare for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison. Today's readings are Acts 20, 2 Corinthians 3-5, and Proverbs 28:25-28.

Father Richard Rohr, OFM, describes how he came to trust God in times of uncertainty and even apparent darkness. His good friend Gerald May shed fresh light on the meaning of John of the Cross’ phrase “the dark night of the soul.” May writes:

The dark night is a profoundly good thing. It is an ongoing spiritual process in which we are liberated from attachments and compulsions and empowered to live and love more freely. Sometimes this letting go of old ways is painful, occasionally even devastating. But this is not why the night is called “dark.” The darkness of the night implies nothing sinister, only that the liberation takes place in hidden ways, beneath our knowledge and understanding. It happens mysteriously, in secret, and beyond our conscious control. [2] (Rohr, n.d.)

We may find the Spirit leading us through a spiritual process that prepares us to accept transformation of our selfish desires and habits to witness as followers of the Way of Christ.

References

Gillick, L. (n.d.). Daily Reflections. Creighton Online Ministries: Home. Retrieved December 7, 2025, from https://onlineministries.creighton.edu/daily-reflections/daily-reflection-december-7-2025 

Isaiah, CHAPTER 11 | USCCB. (n.d.). Daily Readings. Retrieved December 7, 2025, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/isaiah/11?1 

Matthew, CHAPTER 3 | USCCB. (n.d.). Daily Readings. Retrieved December 7, 2025, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/matthew/3?1 

Meditation on Matthew 3:1-12. (2025, December 7). The Word Among Us. https://wau.org/meditations/2025/12/07/1441396/ 

Psalms, PSALM 72 | USCCB. (n.d.). Daily Readings. Retrieved December 7, 2025, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/psalms/72?1 

Rohr, R. (n.d.). Daily Meditations — Center for Action and Contemplation. Center for Action and Contemplation. Retrieved December 7, 2025, from https://cac.org/daily-meditations/trusting-the-unknown-path/ 

Romans, CHAPTER 15 | USCCB. (n.d.). Daily Readings. Retrieved December 7, 2025, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/romans/15?4 

Schwager, D. (n.d.). John Points to the Coming of Christ and His Kingdom. Daily Scripture Readings and Meditations – Daily Scripture Readings and Meditations. Retrieved December 7, 2025, from https://www.dailyscripture.net/daily-meditation/ 

Revelation and Rebirth

The texts from the Roman Catholic Lectionary today challenge us to respond to the gifts of the Spirit that bring courage and curiosity to consider how we grow in our relationship with Christ.

Called to Rebirth

The reading from the Book of Acts is a Prayer of the Community

* [4:27] Herod: Herod Antipas, ruler of Galilee and Perea from 4 B.C. to A.D. 39, who executed John the Baptist and before whom Jesus was arraigned; cf. Lk 23:6–12.

* [4:31] The place…shook: the earthquake is used as a sign of the divine presence in Ex 19:18; Is 6:4. Here the shaking of the building symbolizes God’s favorable response to the prayer. Luke may have had as an additional reason for using the symbol in this sense the fact that it was familiar in the Hellenistic world. Ovid and Virgil also employ it. (Acts of the Apostles, CHAPTER 4 | USCCB, n.d.)

Psalm 2 is a royal Psalm.

* [Psalm 2] A royal Psalm. To rebellious kings (Ps 2:1–3) God responds vigorously (Ps 2:4–6). A speaker proclaims the divine decree (in the legal adoption language of the day), making the Israelite king the earthly representative of God (Ps 2:7–9) and warning kings to obey (Ps 2:10–11). The Psalm has a messianic meaning for the Church; the New Testament understands it of Christ (Acts 4:25–27; 13:33; Heb 1:5). (Psalms, PSALM 2 | USCCB, n.d.)

The Gospel of John describes Jesus' encounter with Nicodemus. 

* [3:1–21] Jesus instructs Nicodemus on the necessity of a new birth from above. This scene in Jerusalem at Passover exemplifies the faith engendered by signs (Jn 2:23). It continues the self-manifestation of Jesus in Jerusalem begun in Jn 2. This is the first of the Johannine discourses, shifting from dialogue to monologue (Jn 3:11–15) to reflection of the evangelist (Jn 3:16–21). The shift from singular through Jn 3:10 to plural in Jn 3:11 may reflect the early church’s controversy with the Jews.

* [3:1] A ruler of the Jews: most likely a member of the Jewish council, the Sanhedrin; see note on Mk 8:31.

* [3:3] Born: see note on Jn 1:13. From above: the Greek adverb anōthen means both “from above” and “again.” Jesus means “from above” (see Jn 3:31) but Nicodemus misunderstands it as “again.” This misunderstanding serves as a springboard for further instruction.

* [3:8] Wind: the Greek word pneuma (as well as the Hebrew rûah) means both “wind” and “spirit.” In the play on the double meaning, “wind” is primary. (John, CHAPTER 3 | USCCB, n.d.)

Tom Lenz has witnessed many times over, as a college professor, the social norm that assumes that science and religion do not mix.

In our world today, we often get stuck only hearing, seeing, and feeling matter. Our physical ailments, our emotional pain, and our worry are all so tangible that it can seem that this is all there is to reality. Jesus’ words to Nicodemus apply to us too, “What is born of flesh is flesh and what is born of spirit is spirit.” In other words, “Let’s not get stuck and mired down in the physical matter of the world. It is important and has its place, but it’s not the full story. Allow yourself to hear the wind blow is ways other than with your ears. This can lead to a new birth and ‘seeing’ the Kingdom of God.” (Lenz, 2025)

Don Schwager quotes “Reborn and Fed by the Spirit,” by Augustine of Hippo, 354-430 A.D.

"And then that rebirth, which brings about the forgiveness of all past sins, takes place in the Holy Spirit, according to the Lord's own words, 'Unless one is born of water and the Spirit, one cannot enter the kingdom of God.' But it is one thing to be born of the Spirit, another to be fed by the Spirit; just as it is one thing to be born of the flesh, which happens when a mother gives birth, and another to be fed from the flesh, which appears when she nurses the baby. We see the child turn to drink with delight from the bosom of her who brought it forth to life. Its life continues to be nourished by the same source which brought it into being." (excerpt from Sermon 71.19) (Schwager, n.d.)

The Word Among Us Meditation on John 3:1-8 invites us to consider how amazing it must have been for Nicodemus when he became a follower of Jesus, when he finally did experience this rebirth for himself. It changed him so much that instead of coming to Jesus under the cover of night, he joined Joseph of Arimathea in taking Jesus’ body from the cross and anointing it for burial (John 19:39).

Brothers and sisters, you have been “born from above” (John 3:3), born of the Spirit of the living God! You are not simply a member of a parish. You are a member of the kingdom of God. You have received God’s own life, a life that extends from now into eternity!

So spend some time thanking Jesus for all he has done for you. Thank him for giving you a new birth and for opening you up to a new and ever-deepening relationship with him.

“Lord, thank you for making me into a new creation!” (Meditation on John 3:1-8, n.d.)

Friar Jude Winkler notes that in the passage from Acts, the community prays for protection and courage from the Spirit after interrogation by the Jewish leaders. In John’s Gospel, Nicodemus appears with Jesus and later defends prudence and then risks life to bury Jesus. Friar Jude reminds us of our rebirth in Baptism in water and the Spirit contrary to the gnostic claim of life only in spirit.

Brian McLaren introduces Potawatomi botanist Robin Wall Kimmerer who considers the gift economy of natural processes. Receiving gifts naturally leads to gratitude and ongoing generosity. 

Enumerating the gifts you’ve received creates a sense of abundance, the knowing that you already have what you need. Recognizing “enoughness” is a radical act in an economy that is always urging us to consume more…. Ecopsychologists have shown that the practice of gratitude puts brakes on hyper-consumption. The relationships nurtured by gift thinking diminish our sense of scarcity and want. In that climate of sufficiency, our hunger for more abates and we take only what we need, in respect for the generosity of the giver… (McLaren, n.d.)

We invite the Spirit to arouse our gratitude for our experience of life with Christ through which we have come to affirm our growth in living as people “born again”.

References

Acts of the Apostles, CHAPTER 4 | USCCB. (n.d.). Daily Readings. Retrieved April 28, 2025, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/acts/4?23 

John, CHAPTER 3 | USCCB. (n.d.). Daily Readings. Retrieved April 28, 2025, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/john/3?1 

Lenz, T. (2025, April 28). Creighton U. Daily Reflection. Online Ministries. Retrieved April 28, 2025, from https://onlineministries.creighton.edu/CollaborativeMinistry/042825.html 

McLaren, B. (n.d.). Flourishing Is Mutual. Center for Action and Contemplation. Retrieved April 28, 2025, from https://cac.org/daily-meditations/flourishing-is-mutual/ 

Meditation on John 3:1-8. (n.d.). The Word Among Us: Homepage. Retrieved April 28, 2025, from https://wau.org/meditations/2025/04/28/1263947/ 

Psalms, PSALM 2 | USCCB. (n.d.). Daily Readings. Retrieved April 28, 2025, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/psalms/2?1 

Schwager, D. (n.d.). Daily Scripture Readings and Meditations – Daily Scripture Readings and Meditations. Retrieved April 28, 2025, from https://www.dailyscripture.net/daily-meditation/?ds_year=2025&date=apr28