Father Ndong's sermon in two parts, given today, 2nd sunday in Advent.

PART1




PART 2





AI TRANSLATION


In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.
Amen.

So, as I was telling you, you must receive the Head of State, prepare yourselves. You even get people to help you, and then it gets closer, and you feel that it's arriving. Even the people who are talking say: "Oh no, there is really something being prepared." Maybe they don't know exactly, but they feel that, yes, and so at that time, the birth of Jesus was getting so close that in that country, you know the country, well, people felt that ah, he's no longer far, he's approaching, he's even so close that it's him, he's already here, it's him, it's him.


And among them, there were leaders who had disciples. "Disciples" comes from a Latin word that means what? Student. You see, when you go to school, you are a student. Well, we can say you are a disciple, you are disciples. That's what a disciple is, he is a student. A student implies that there is a master. So there were several masters. They are called "Rabbis," we call them Rabbis. In fact, they are masters, masters who have disciples. More or less, it was many, many, it was a little bit.
So there are several groups like that, and people were saying: "Ah, the guy over there, it's him. It's him. He's the one we're waiting for, it's him." "No, no, no, no, it's the other one over there." "Oh no! No!" It was like that. We felt that he's coming, he's coming, he's coming, he's coming. But who is he? Ah, you will find out who he is!
And among all these masters, there is one called John. And his particularity as a master was to baptize people. "To baptize" which is a Greek word that means... quite simply. You must not be afraid, it's just in one language, that's all. But that, it takes. Do our ancestors speak? Well, we speak French now. Well, there you go, so there's no need to be afraid. You listen to, I don't know, Dad and all the others, do they speak French? Sometimes, but they will speak the guys there, they will speak I don't know what. Even English, you will listen even though you understand nothing, zero. No, it's not a problem.


So John, he told people, I ask you to repent when he arrives. When he arrives. This is the John we are talking about in today's Gospel. You see, during this Advent season, we cannot not talk about him. When you speak of the Immaculate Conception, you cannot not talk about the mother of Jesus when we are in this waiting period. It's like when you have to receive the Head of State, you cannot not talk about the protocol. You cannot not talk about the presidential cases. All these services, you will work with them to receive the Head of State. It's the same thing for receiving Jesus. There you go, we must talk about Mary, his mother. We must also talk about John who will prepare people to receive Jesus.


So, what does the Gospel say? You remember, John in his prison, he was in prison, we'll talk about that later, heard about the works of the Christ. Ah, so the Christ was also like another master. But remember, the two, between John and and Jesus, there are only a few months difference. Only a few months. So John starts before Jesus. Jesus starts a little while after, a few months after. But in the meantime, John will be put in prison. He is in prison, remember, he has his disciples, he has his group of disciples who come to tell him: "But him there, the way I... is he really the one you were telling us about?" Because he, when people were doing that, he said: "It's not me." They say: "No, it's him, it's him, it's him, those who are baptizing over there, it's the Messiah." He says: "Ah no, no, it's not me." He said: "It's not me, it's not me, it's another. He's even among you." Because he knew that Jesus was already born. He knew it, it was his brother. He knew he was already born, they only had six months difference. He knew. He says: "No, no, no." There you go. "Uh, he's here, he's here, he's here." But he doesn't say, he hasn't yet said it's that one, but he knows he's there.
So, in the meantime, he goes to prison. Jesus starts. So like John, he also has disciples. And John's former disciples, they are, their master is in prison. They see the other master there who is really strong. You see a master who is strong there, no? That's not possible. Disciple, is it him? No, it's not him. No, no, it's not him. But otherwise John would tell us that it's really him. He tells us nothing. So they come. He was talking about the works of the Christ, and sent two of his disciples to ask him: "Are you the one who is to come?" And this, you have to understand the Gospels. It's John, he knows that Jesus is the Messiah. And yet, you see, when he sends his disciples: "Are you the Messiah?" You see? Why? He knows that Jesus is the Messiah. Or he doesn't tell his disciples: "It's him, go ask him because it's him." Why? We must try to understand the Scriptures. But because this John, just now, among his disciples, some were saying: "It's him." "No, it's not him."


Don't seek to convince you. Go yourselves. Go yourselves. You know, sometimes, that's what you have to do. It's not... it's tiring to want to convince someone. Say: "Well, go look for yourself. The fire burns." "Oh no, the fire burns." "Oh no, go ahead, but put your hand in, huh. It doesn't burn." "Put your hand in yourself, you'll see if it burns or not." Sometimes, that's what you have to do. Don't get too tired. That's what Saint John the Baptist does, he says: "Well, go yourselves. Go..." So the voice of is that there is a witness. What happened, he comes to meet what he wants. You know that it's true, it's false. When me, they are two, you see, it reminds me. You remember that? No, when it's Moses, remember, Moses, he sends I think it was 12 explorers


Look at the promised land. Remember, 12, one per tribe, and they send them out. They go around, they go around, they go around, they go around, they go around, they go around, they go around. When they come back, they report that ah no, but it's really an extraordinary country. There's food, there's everything, really. But the people who are there, they are too strong. They are they are giants, they are sturdy, they are built, they have weapons. There's no way we're going to be able to take that land. It's impossible.


Out of the 12, 10 say this. Out of 12, 10 say: "We have to go back because if we go there trying to fight, we're going to be massacred. We must go back." You tell them to go. No, they say no, we can't, we can't. We have to go back.

10, you see. Not because we are chosen by God that we are saints. The Jєωιѕн people there, they were really—it's written in the Bible—a stiff-necked people. They were stubborn. The story that they were in the desert, it's the story that God is constantly beating them because they do another stupid thing. He says: "Pardon, pardon, pardon, let it go." Pardon, pardon. It's like that, it's like that. That you won't enter. The best people—you don't know—I am a priest so I am the best. But no, no, you can be like the Jews and then God is always beating you, even if you are a priest, that's all.

So out of the 12, 10 say no, no. Fortunately, two who will say: "Ah, with God's help, we will defeat them." And when it happened, those 10, they died. They didn't enter. First of all, huh. That's how you talk. You there, you there, the 10 of you, you will not enter there. The two who said it's fine, they entered.


So that's how it is. So go see for yourselves. Go see for yourselves. And when they arrive, it's Jesus, look at what Jesus answers. You see, again, I tell him: "Well, we are not obliged to say yes, to say no, formally and simply." There are 1000 ways to say yes, 1000 ways to say no. And he said: "Well, go tell John what you see. Look. There you go." Because what counts? Is it the words? No. Jesus doesn't tell them: "It's me." And that's why John didn't tell them: "It's him," because the words, well, what did you consider that as? He says: "Hm, Jesus, he spoke." But what did they say? He says: "But he is a liar. He comes he comes from from Nazareth. From Nazareth? Where did he go to school? We saw him. He didn't go to university anywhere, huh. He's in Gabon. Since he comes from a lost corner of of Gabon, we've never seen him at the university. All of us who are here, we are the university people. We were at the university, we know each other, you. Yes. We were in the same class, you, you. Yes. But him there, where did he go to school, and then he comes and says he's the Messiah. Which Messiah after school?" So that's it. So the words, people, the words, well there you go, that's good, you are the Messiah. Fine, okay, well there you go. That's all. I am the Pope, there you go, and that's it. It's like that. That's how he shows them the deeds. Look for yourselves. It is very important.


Don't tire yourself out wanting to convince someone with words. It's fine, we talk, we don't talk, and then well, the person believes or they don't believe, they don't accept it. You will say to yourself: "Well, look for yourself. Look, study the deeds. Look, there you go." And it is with the deeds that Jesus will convince. It's not so much his doctrine, it's the deeds. Look. We see the—yes, the famous story that an tree is known by its fruit. We see the fruits. You say it's a mango tree, but those mangoes, they are not mangoes. Those are not mangoes, huh. Those are guavas. You told everyone everywhere: "I have a big mango tree, kbo and everything." It's not a mango tree. "Ah yes, no, yes, yes, it's really a mango tree." "No, no, no, guys, I went, I saw, huh, it's really a mango tree." There you go, so the deeds.


And that's how Jesus himself, he comes back to John. He says: "But you people, why did you go to the desert? Why did you go?" You see that many of those who were with John did what? They went to Jesus. Many. He says: "But what did you go do there?" But since their master is now in prison, among all the masters there were, they said: "Oh, him there, he seems to be a bit like our master. We'll go there." You know that the first disciples/students of Jesus were the former disciples of Saint John. Andrew, John, they were disciples of Saint John. And John will tell them: "It is him. Behold the Lamb, the Lamb of God." And that we sing all the time. The expression comes from John, and even today, we use it. Andrew and John were with John the Baptist and he sees Jesus passing by and John the Baptist said: "It is him. Behold, it is the Lamb of God, it is him." And they will follow.


John the Baptist, he knew his disciples, he knew who, there you go. For some, he clearly said it's him, because those ones, they won't argue, they will say: "Ah, okay, we follow." But as for those who came to ask, it's for everyone, and among them, there are some who did not believe, he will say: "Well, go see for yourselves and decide after you." So that's why, you see, Jesus talks about John saying: "Well, there you go, he is a saint, he knows me, we know, he knows me." For example, if he sent those ones, it's not that he doesn't know, but it's like them, among his disciples, there are some who don't believe. And go look for yourselves. "Behold, I send my messenger before your face, who will prepare your way before you." Who is this John? He waits to tell them: "You went there. You went, it is he who must prepare my my arrival." So, it is normal that after him, you come to me because that was his job.


You see, it's like the protocol of the Head of State, he prepares. He comes to you, not to say no, for for the chief, the Head of State who is arriving. So it was the same thing with John the Baptist. You are not going to stay with the Republican Guard. It is not them you must receive, it is the Head of State. There you go, you are not going to stay with the messenger, you await the chief. Saint John the Baptist says: "No, but I must disappear. He, he must grow." So this is the great personality, the personality of John the Baptist. So great that he was mistaken for the Messiah. Many thought it was him. Many. And that's why he says: "But go see for yourselves," because he told them: "It's not me," but they said: "No, it's him, it's him." "Well, go see, go see."


So, even today, Saint John the Baptist prepares us for the coming of the Messiah, prepares us to receive the Messiah. The Lamb of God, and we say it when it is before receiving communion. This is what John the Baptist says: "But it is him, it is him, it is him whom you will receive, it is him." You see there, in before, before communion, it is to receive him. And I spoke of baptism, we will see exactly how he prepares us, how John prepared the people, how he prepares us to receive Jesus. So it's a very important image and I invite you all week to think about Saint John the Baptist, to read all those episodes where we are told about Saint John the Baptist, and to find—you will answer me later, you will tell me after Mass—why he went to prison. Tell me that after Mass. In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.