PREPARE THE WAY OF THE LORD

First Reading: Is 40:1-5, 9-11
Second Reading: 2 Pet 3:8-14
Gospel: Mk 1:1-8

The season of advent is a time of waiting and time for preparing for the coming of the Lord. The readings of today are about preparing the way and place for the coming of the Lord. In the first reading we have the proclamation of freedom to Israel from Babylonian slavery. The verses are a deep consolation to the hearers. It begins by saying; “Comfort, O comfort my people, says your God…” (Is 40:1). This message gladdens the heart of Israelites who are finishing their time of punishment. They are exuberant to go back to the mountain of their Lord God; Jerusalem. The cry is made – which is also an allusion to John the Baptist – to prepare the way of the Lord (Is 40:3). Actually, the way is needed for the Israelites – not for the Lord – to go back to their country. In saying this the prophet acclaims that the Israelites are not alone in going back. They will have a companion to guide them. The companion is none other than God Himself. Just as Moses and Joshua led the Israelites from Egypt to the Promised Land. Now the Lord God Himself will lead them back to the Promised Land from Babylon.

In the Gospel, John the Baptist is preparing the way for the coming of the Lord. He prepares the way by doing two things: proclamation and administering baptism. He invites the people to get ready to receive the Lord through repentance for their sins. The baptism he administers has no sacramental value but only a sign of repentance and forgiveness. Through this John the Baptist prepares the hearts of the people to encounter God when He comes in the person of Jesus. Today, John the Baptist is inviting us to do the same thing to prepare for Christmas. The best way to prepare for Christmas is by going to Confession. In the first reading too Israelites are told to prepare the way for the Lord by mending everything that is crooked and rough (Is 40:3-4). By levelling everything the way becomes ready. We need to level our life by getting reconciled with God and our neighbours. The crookedness we have created in our lives through malice and selfish motives needs to be made straight through our willingness to be genuine and generous. Every valley we have created through injustice and deception in our life needs to be lifted up by our righteous living. The mountains we have built with our pride needs to be lowered with humility. The uneven ground and rough places which make us stumble before God needs to be levelled through prayer and penance. In this way we become holy and blameless before God when He comes.

The baptism given by John at Jordan has significance for the coming of the Lord. By crossing the river Jordan, the people of Israel inhabited new land, started new life. With the coming of God as human in the person of Jesus, new life is about to begin – once again newness begins from the river Jordan. John the Baptist prepares the people by going back to the beginning point. To celebrate the coming of the Lord we need to go back to the beginning of our life with the Lord. This advent is a time to recall our baptismal promises and see how far we have faithfully kept those promises. Let us use this time of advent to cleanse from all sins that make us stumble. In the second reading, St. Peter tells that the delay in Lord’s coming is for the advantage of the unprepared people. In delaying, the Lord is giving them a chance to prepare well to receive Him, because His intention is not to punish the wicked but to embrace both the good and the repentant wicked. This is what we sing in responsorial psalm; mercy and faithfulness have met (Ps 85:10). The good is saved for his/her faithfulness to the Lord and the wicked is saved through mercy for his/her repentance for sins. In this way the Lord wills to descent upon each soul He had created so dearly with eternal love.

May this time of preparation for Christmas not distract us much with material preparations rather help us focus on internal liberation and freedom. Let us get up and say “Here is [our] God” (Is 40:9), for He comes with might to rule us and gather and feed us like the Shepherd to his flocks (Is 40:10-11). May we rise to welcome the Lord with due preparation. Wish you all a great week ahead!    

 

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