Prepare a Way for the Lord

Gospel Reading: Lk 3:4-6

"the voice of one crying in the wilderness, 'Make ready the way of the lord, make his paths straight.  Every ravine will be filled, and every mountain and hill will be brought low; the crooked will become straight, and the rough roads smooth; and all flesh will see the salvation of god.' "

 
As long as we are living, we can choose to work with God or against Him.  I know which way I have chosen. How about you?

The Sunday readings during Advent tell us of the Second Coming of Jesus when He returns and time as we know it ends. This is an event every one of us will certainly see, everyone who has ever lived or ever will live  Throughout our lives, because we have free will, we have choice. The Gospel reading for the Second Sunday of Advent describes changes in the people who follow Christ: in our minds, actions and souls. Let me explain what I mean.

Prepare a way for the Lord - in our hearts and in our lives. Bad habits and sinfulness have a way of sneaking up on a person, slowly and bit by bit over time. For this reason, our loving Mother Church gives us two seasons each year when we can examine our attitudes and behaviours. We are given time to turn back to God, to prepare a way for the Lord into our hearts and into our daily lives. This is done with prayer, participation in the liturgy, and reconciliation through confession and the Advent Reconciliation Services.

Every valley will be filled in and every mountain and hill brought low? I used to think that was a terrible thing to happen - that it would make everything the same and monotonous.  But there is another way to understand the text, a better way when we see that Isaiah was talking about all mankind and not geology. Does that mean we must all be identical to see the salvation of God? Of course not! Just look around for a moment and see the infinite variety of God’s creation. Every snowflake is unique just as every person is unique, and so is every daisy and every created thing in the universe. God rejoices in creativity and we are not meant to be monotonously the same, rather we are meant to be freed of the sin that distorts us and stunts our souls. Free to live the fullest possible life as the unique wonderful creatures God meant us to be.

To fill in the valleys - is to raise those that are low. Those who are depressed, who suffer from low self-esteem, those who have been beaten down and feel there is no way up. The lost sheep, the poor, the powerless.. These are the people who will be filled in with peace, strength, joy and raised up.

The mountain to be brought low - these are the people who think they can put themselves above God. Those who deny the concept of sin because they prefer disobedience. Recently some people have argued that skipping Sunday mass is not a mortal sin. Why? Because they would rather sleep in, or go shopping, or watch tv, etc., etc. They do not understand that it is a mortal sin because to miss mass is breaking a direct commandment of God. ‘Remember the Sabbath day and keep it holy’ People need to be laid low in other ways, too. Humility is a great blessing, not a curse. To love, trust and obey the Lord is to be secure in this world.

To make crooked paths straight? How about those who think that God cannot see their sins? Those who argue that abortion is a good thing because without it poor women will suffer deeper poverty? Instead of this crooked way of thinking, why not follow Jesus and work to make poverty a thing of history? Jesus was a straight talker and a straight thinker, we need to work at thinking and acting the way He taught us. Why should only the wealthy greet a new life with joy? Our crooked thinking needs to be straightened in many many ways.

Rough roads will be made smooth - this can be about illness and poverty, yes. More than that, it can mean the stumbling blocks that keep us from giving ourselves completely to God will be gone. The traps that evil sets for us, the snares of the devil will be cleared away. We will live Jesus’ teaching of Love, total love, forgiving love, accepting love for those around us and for ourselves.

And all mankind shall see the salvation of the Lord. Amen to that!