This week our special Advent patron will be St. John the Baptist. He who lived in the wilderness, clothed in camel’s hair, eating locust and wild honey, preparing the way of the Lord. By his deeds and example he certainly began preparing the way of the Lord. Yet, we may be tempted to forget, especially in a culture that often encourages us to leave our religion out of the public sphere, that John prepared the way of the Lord by his preaching! He was a prophet of the Most High, giving people knowledge of their salvation by announcing the Lord’s coming.
Advent is a time for me, by the Lord’s grace, to get my life in order. But much more than this individual concern, Advent is about the whole Church becoming a herald of the Lord who comes! John’s voice is not meant to be a solo. Rather, every baptized Christian is called to join their voices in a beautiful harmonious cry to all the world: Ready the way of the Lord!
As we go through this week we will consider the different ways in which we are told to contemplate the Lord. Throughout all of them, let us not only prepare ourselves, but consider how we may encourage others, too, to conduct ourselves as St. Peter writes, “in holiness and devotion, waiting for and hastening the coming of the day of God.” (2 Pt 3:11-12)