Vatican City, Dec 4, 2016 / 07:56 am
The proclamation of John the Baptist to "Repent, for the Kingdom of God is at hand" is a joyful one that calls us to conversion, Pope Francis said today in his Angelus address on the second Sunday of Advent.
Referring to the Gospel reading for the day from Matthew 3:1-12, the Pope noted that the proclamation of John the Baptist, who prepared the way for Jesus, is also repeated several times by Jesus himself throughout the Gospel of Matthew.
"With these same words Jesus will start his mission in Galilee (Mt 4:17); and this will also be an announcement that will bring the disciples on their first missionary experience (Mt 10:7)," he said.
This "joyful proclamation" is central to all Christian mission, the Holy Father said.