STAYING BEAUTIFUL - C: 2nd Sun of Advent

Baruch 5:1-9 (5 December 2021)

“Take off the garment of your sorrow and affliction, O Jerusalem, and put on forever the beauty of the glory from God” (Bar 5:1).

This is the translation given by the New Revised Standard Version (this rendition is employed even in the Douay-Rheims Bible of 1610, among others), using the word “beauty” to describe the desired outcome of taking off the garment of one’s sorrow and affliction (v. 1). It infers that one who is gloomy and sorrowful should start appearing physically attractive once again in view of the glory that God will soon give.

It conveys then an anticipatory celebration of one’s deliverance from pains by beginning to beautify the self in order to hide the misery that will soon be removed anyway.

Other bible versions, though, employ a different word that gives a new meaning to this verse. For example, the New English Translation of the Septuagint features the term “dignity” instead of “beauty”. In the Greek Septuagint, the word used is euprepeia, which indeed means “beauty” or something attractive to the eyes. But this term is actually a combination of two Greek words, viz., eu (“good”) and prepō (“be fitting, be seemly/suitable,” cf. BDAG), suggesting that this compound refers to being appropriately fit toward something. It concerns one’s internal disposition and attitude in contrast to external beauty or fine physical appearance. Accordingly, the Conferenza Episcopale Italiana of 2008 uses instead the term “splendore,” which I think can capture simultaneously these two elements of physical beauty and radiating dignity of a person.

Our first reading from Bar 5:1-9 clearly expresses the latter, i.e., the internal disposition of dignity. The image of physical beauty, particularly with the images of fine dress and diadem, are just literary metaphors used to communicate spiritual maturity seen in the expressions “robe of righteousness” and “diadem of the glory of the Everlasting” (v. 2). Baruch enjoins everyone to arise (v. 5a) and to rejoice (v. 5b) “[f]or God will lead Israel with joy, in the light of his glory, with the mercy and righteousness that come from him” (v. 9).

Baruch’s message is for one’s spiritual preparedness in the reception of God’s intervening display of compassion to all those who suffer.

These are indeed comforting words especially in our present context of a prolonged pandemic crisis. With the new upsurge of infections due to the mutations of more potent variants such as the omicron, COVID-19 is now turning to be COVID-22 as we are now entering the third year of the global pandemic. Reading Baruch’s prophecy to mean being physically beautiful this Christmas season may not be fitting to many who continue to hurt, grieve, and live miserably. While merry-making has always been a part of the Yuletide season, we cannot just throw lavish parties and celebrations, knowing that many are barely making both ends meet financially, emotionally, and even psychologically.

Despite this reality, we can still respond to God’s invitation by being spiritually disposed to Jesus’ coming by living a life of righteousness, compassion, and peace (v. 4). In doing so, we stay beautiful internally, radiating hope and solidarity to all who suffer today.

- Rex Fortes, CM