Populus Sion, ecce Dominus veniet ad salvandas gentes

     The title of this post is the Introit or Introitus for the Second Sunday of Advent in the Roman Rite.  This is especially fitting in light of the new translation of the Missale Romanum, which took effect last Sunday.  The Introit roughly translates as "People of Zion, behold the Lord comes to save the peoples".

     The Gospel for the Second Sunday of Advent in the Ordinary Form talked of John the Baptist/Baptizer/Forerunner being in the desert calling for a conversion of hearts.  For books that don't generally go into too much detail or description, the Gospel reading from St. Mark spends a whole sentence describing what John's wearing, where he's living, and what he eats.  Now, where else do we really find any type of description regarding people's clothing and diet in the Bible?  Why wouldn't John eat anything other than bugs with honey?  Maybe it's because I love food...maybe because I'm Italian, but we couldn't find this man something more to eat?
     Now if you go into research mode, there are lots of discussions as to why we spend so much time thinking about John's clothing and culinary choices.  He's just a slight bit eccentric, you know, but he also is serving a purpose that some of us are missing, and by some I mean me too.  Now to all things, there's a purpose greater than what we can comprehend.  Otherwise God creating a tarantula makes really no sense. 
     No, John's not being a hippy, and no, he's not insane in the brain, as Cyprus Hill might say.  John is fulfilling a duty. Throughout his life and ministry, many, including Jesus (Mark 9:11-12) refer to John as fulfilling the promise of Elijah's return.  John's description is meant to cause the readers, who would be familiar with the prophet Isaiah, to take note.  He's a voice in the desert and he's calling for preparation for the Lord.  But, I'm going to offer another idea.  John's setting himself apart from the world, in a rather literal sense.  He's fasting from the eating of meat and wearing something made of camel hair, and while I can only guess at the reason, this really does call to mind the idea that he's doing penance, most likely not for himself, but for us.  Eventually, when he does meet up with Jesus, he shouts out a statement that all of us in the Roman Rite are familiar with "Ecce Agnus Dei!  Ecce qui tollit peccata mundi!" 
     So, why am I talking about John the Baptist?  No real reason, or maybe a major reason.  John calls to us to prepare a way for the Lord.  If you've noticed, we haven't been saying the Gloria the past two weekends, and that's on purpose.  We're preparing for the coming of the Lord.  How can we go about doing this type of preparation?  I can tell you what I'm doing.  Just a little bit more thought and meditation.  Is John the forerunner because he knew something we didn't know, or is he something of a model for us?  And if so, what is he modeling?  Perhaps it's something that should make us shout out "Ecce Agnus Dei!"  Or perhaps it's joy that the Lord is coming "to save the peoples".