If I didn't know any better, I would think we were in the season of Lent. We hear the exhortation to be sorry for our sins and to confess them -- and we have so much purple in the parish church! When I was a child, I had learned that purple was a sign of penance and that it was the color of Lent. But as an adult, I am a little surprised to hear the theme of repentance and see the color of repentance ... in Advent. So, what's going on?
At the risk of being profoundly boring, the answer comes in the vestment that I am wearing. Most parishes have vestments for priests; but most priests have some personal vestments. The one I am wearing today is my own. And, because I am a Catholic Nerd (tm), I had it designed in a certain shade of purple. You see, when you are in a parish church in Advent or Lent, there are all different shades of purple, aren't there? Purple purple, grape, fuscia, indigo, lilac, violet, lavender, periwinkle ... But in the ancient days, there was a special shade of purple that was central to religion and to the empire. And that shade is called Tyrian.
Tyrian purple was the shade that the emperors and only the richest of the rich would wear. The reason why only they would wear it is because the dye was so difficult and so expensive to obtain. It would come from sea snails and would require thousands upon thousand of them. As a result, Tyrian purple became a sign of royalty. The dominus -- the Lord.
So, in Advent, not only does purple signify repentance. It also points us to the King: Jesus Christ, who is coming.
We do not hear from Jesus in the Gospel today -- one of the few times -- but, instead, we hear from his forerunner, John the Baptist. The emperor, before he would come to a town or a country, would send heralds ahead, to announce his coming. "The emperor is coming! Clear the way. Smooth the road. Make straight his path!" In short, the herald would not only announce the emperor's coming, but would instruct the people to make his coming as easy as possible. That is what John is doing. He is announcing the coming -- the Advent -- of Jesus Christ the King (whose feast we celebrated two weeks ago, mind you) and John is instructing us to make it as easy as possible for Jesus to enter into our hearts and homes.
Repent! For the kingdom of God is at hand!
The King is coming. Do you not see his color?
But there is something more to this Tyrian than the coming king. There was a place that was known for Tyrian. In the Jewish Temple in Jerusalem -- the place where Jesus loved to pray, the Father's house where Jesus would preach and teach -- there was a special sanctuary that only the high priest would enter. That sacred chamber was called the Holy of Holies. At the entry to the Holy of Holies was a veil, a very large and heavy curtain, actually, made of yards and yards of fine silk and linen. What was the color of that veil you ask? It was Tyrian.
And woven within that Tyrian purple veil was gold thread, embroidery that formed seven pictures. Each of those golden pictures depicted the Seven Days of Creation. Why is this important? Because when our King, Jesus Christ, gave His life for us on the Cross -- His head crowned with thorns and, above His head, a declaration: This is the King of the Jews -- when our King gave His life, that veil in the Jerusalem Temple was torn in two. Right down the middle. The Evangelists note this detail -- because it was important. Why? Because they knew that that veil represented Creation Itself and, as it was torn in two because of the King's death, so too the Old Creation was coming to an end. A New Creation was breaking in.
This New Creation is marked by the fulness of peace forever. Isaiah, in the first reading, talks about how wolves and lambs will be at peace, leopards and young goats, cows and bears, calfs and lions, vipers and children ... all will be at peace. How does this peace come? By the King, the one who is anointed with the fulness of God's spirit -- anointing ... Messiah from the Hebrew, from the Greek: the Christ.
Jesus is that King who brings that new creation and that fulness of peace -- a peace that you yourself enjoyed as you placed your manger scene together with all its animals surrounding the Infant King. Why are there animals there? It's not simply because Jesus was born in the manger; it's also because this King brings the New Creation.
This New Creation is the Kingdom that John the Baptist announces today, an announcement that says that this Kingdom is at hand. And how far is "at hand"? Put your hand out. That's how far. The New Creation, the Kingdom of Heaven, is not simply some future reality out there somewhere. It is here; the King is here! He is "at hand"! -- In fact, He is right there in the tabernacle. I will even say the same words as St. John the Baptist when I say, "Behold the Lamb of God. Behold Him...."
And I will be wearing this vestment. And I chose it to be Tyrian. This is Tyrian purple.
Because it is a sign of penance; it is a sign of royalty; it is a sign of that kingdom, the New Creation, and the fulness of peace. I am clothed in it.
These three realities -- penance, royalty, peace -- they all come together in John's words: Prepare the way of the Lord. Make straight His paths. Make it as easy as possible for Jesus to enter your heart and your home today. He comes to bring you peace. He comes to bring you the grace to make a good confession and to be forgiven. He comes to give you the strength to offer that peace to all who you meet in the days ahead.
Doesn't that sound lovely? Isn't that better than the rat race that the world is offering you?
Hear then what Isaiah says: "His dwelling shall be glorious." Glorious. Heavenly. And it is here. It is being offered to you. Wrapped in royalty and peace. Wrapped in Tyrian.
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