Another introduction to the same sermon for the third Sunday of Advent.
Text.
Ego vox clamantis in deserto.—John i. 23.
“I am the voice of one crying in the wilderness.”
Introduction.
John was a voice, but the voice of another that was crying in the wilderness. Whose was it? His of whom he said: “Make straight the way of the Lord;” namely, Jesus Christ, our Saviour. Where? In what desert is this voice to be heard? Not here; not while Our Lord is in this world amongst us; for as Isaias prophesied of Him, “He shall not cry, neither shall His voice be heard abroad.”[1] Where then? In the valley of Josaphat, when He shall come to judge the living and the dead. And how terribly that voice shall then resound in the ears of the dead sinner! I am not speaking now, my dear brethren, of that last voice that shall pronounce final sentence on the sinner and send him to hell; there shall be other voices with which our otherwise meek and loving Redeemer shall cry out against you, O sinner! and which shall be a source of greater damnation to you. I will now explain what I mean.
Plan of Discourse.
Our Lord’s fidelity that you have despised will cry out against and condemn you: the first part. His love that you have scorned will cry out against and condemn you: the second part.
Just Judge! merciful Saviour! before this terrible voice of Thine is heard, call out to-day by my means to the hearts of all present, that moved by a salutary fear of Thy voice the wicked may refrain from sin and the good be confirmed in justice. Obtain for us this grace from thy Son by thy interceding voice, O Mother of graces, and you, too, holy angels!
- ↑ Non clamabit, nec audietur vox ejus forts.—Is. xlii. 2.
