TURN YOUR EYES TO THE EAST

HOMILY FOR THE 2^ND SUNDAY OF ADVENT, YEAR C

Rev. Fr. Ezekoka Peter Onyekachi

There is always that angle to which the eyes turn to when they are filled with expectation of an important visitor. As children, whenever our parents told us of the visit of a revered person, we were not only filled with great expectation and preparedness, our eyes would always peer through the windows and corridors at the sound of any car engine, door bells or knocks. When we expect a visitor naturally, our physical eyes are surely involved. They turn towards the direction from which we expect the visitor to come. This is also true of our preparedness and expectation of the messiah. Our spiritual eyes of faith are involved. They turn towards the direction from which the Messiah Christ would come. In the First Reading (Baruch 5:1-9), the prophet consoles Jerusalem under distress and assuring them of divine visitation and sustenance, enjoins her to turn her eyes to the East. Why must her eyes be turned to the East, and not the West, the North or South?

There was a peculiar experience I made in 2013 during the pilgrimage for seminarians in Rome. It concerns the St. Peter’s Basilica, which was known as the largest in size of all the Catholic Church’s buildings in the world. It is built and situated in such a way that it faces the East; and of course many ancient churches were built that way: facing the East. This is because of the Biblical theology that salvation comes from the East, for it is from the East that the rising sun blossoms. The sun rises in the East to brighten up the day and dispel the darkness of the night. And so, the messiah of the people would rise from the east to brighten up the world and to dispel the darkness that sin has caused. Therefore, the ancients believed that salvation comes from the East and was regarded as the source of blessing. Hosea prophesied that the Messiah would come to us as the rising sun (Cf. Hosea 6:3). The messiah is the bringer of salvation, and therefore Jesus’ birth which was likened to the rising sun in Luke 1:78 signified the opening up of salvation for mankind. To wrap it up, the wise men were guided by the star that rose from the East. So, turning our eyes to the East would signify an ever-more readiness and preparedness that the messiah is almost with us, and that our salvation is very near at hand.

While in Rome, standing in front of the Basilica, I felt the direct heat of the early morning sunshine; and on entering the Basilica experienced such rays of light which by piercing the upper windows and the stained glasses illumine the interior of the Basilica, as if to say that God’s eye directly watches over the community in prayer and gives them the Light which He, God is. This thought me the lesson of a God who is beyond us, but dwells in our midst. The rising sun has come to visit us, for God comes from heaven to dwell in our midst. Thus, the eye of the Church is always turned towards the East, the location of the rising sun. This is a signification of her orientation towards salvation to which she goes with all her children. But specifically, during this Advent season, our eyes are focused in wrapped attention towards the East because the Word is about to be made flesh in Jesus Christ? We are still on the look out gazing towards the East to witness this rising sun that has the mission of brightening the day and dispelling the darkness of the night.

This will help us, as St. Paul advocates in the Second Reading (Phil. 1:3-6.8-11) to become purer and prepared for the Day of the Lord. On that day, perfect goodness will be produced in us. Is this not what our salvation is all about? Our eyes are now turned towards the east because a palpable announcement has been made about the clearance of darkness; for the forerunner of that messiah has been announced. This is what we meet in the Gospel (Luke 3:1-6). The job of this forerunner is to prepare us, immerse (baptise) us in repentance for the forgiveness of sins, that our eyes may be cleared enough to behold Him who is most pure and bright, to be able to see the salvation of God that ought to be visible for us all. The forerunner, John is the voice that cries in the wilderness. And I think it is not without any purpose that the story of the incarnation of the messiah started in the wilderness where life was difficult and where wild beasts dominate. It did not happen in Jerusalem or in Galilee or any big city, but in a forsaken, tough and dry wilderness.

Remember, many years (about 400 years) had passed since the time of the prophet Malachi, and there was no prophet in Israel. So, the Jews were like those living in a period of prophetic wilderness, a period during which there was no prophet in the land. Thus, the coming of John was the end of this prophetic wilderness. His appearance became a comfort and great hope to the people in the face of their economic and socio-political servitude under the Roman empire that the messiah is near. Many people even thought him to be the messiah. So, the voice in the wilderness brought back faith and hope, and with his message helped the people to turn their heads towards the East. So, this season is a period we all have to confront whatever wilderness we have been made to face in our lives and try to see some hope in it discerning the presence of God as we turn towards the East, towards the rising sun: the wilderness of regrets, of shame, of enmity, of hatred, of poverty, etc. We must believe that the coming of the messiah would surely bring these forms of wilderness to a halt. Abundance, joy, faith and love come from the Rising Sun, the messiah The rays of salvation emitted from this Rising Sun would be able to boost our bodies, supplying a great deal of Vitamin D (Faith) that promotes bone growth (growth in virtues) and prevents illnesses and depression (removal of vices). May we continue to be filled with this expectant hope as we look towards Christmas. Amen. May we be alert to see this morning sun that rises, and be ready to behold him. Amen

Happy new week, and God bless you.