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"Prepare the way of the Lord, make straight His paths"

Luke 3:4

It's Advent--so preparing is what we're about.  In the Christmas rush, we may forget who/why we prepare.

We meet  John the Baptist in the Gospel who calls us to "Prepare the way of the Lord!"  His is a voice crying out in the desert in his time.  Are we to cry out in our time?

We are to prepare for the coming of Christ.  What does that mean? We are living right now in a desert--Covid deaths/separation, climate change, homeless immigrants & poor... We need to prepare a path that Christ can call His own.  His path is love.  It is the very way, the only way needed, where we can hope to meet Christ.  We just need to receive Christ's love & pass it on.  It's so simple & so difficult.

First, we need to prepare ourselves--pray, read the Scriptures, observe Jesus' way & then follow in His footsteps.  May we increase in love & know by experience how to make straight God's paths, fill our emptiness & let go of our pride, forget the rough/winding roads of self-centeredness & prepare the Way of the Lord. Then we can be a sign of the Kingdom (we are all kin in Christ)  We need to live the Gospel courageously--proclaim our faith in action--love all persons, prepare the way & make straight the path ie. practice peace/justice.

Ps. 26 reminds us "The Lord has done great things for us" He became flesh in Christ & redeemed us.  Paul says the One who began this good work in you will continue to complete it until the day of Christ Jesus.

You are invited to Prepare the Way & to encounter Christ (& His kin) Prepare!

How will you open yourself to God's Word today & then show others the Way?

Loving God, help us prepare the way for Christmas by being/bringing Your presence  & responding to the needs of others. In Jesus' name.  Amen.

Today’s Reflection is by:

Sister Mary David, OSB

Did you know...

Sr. Mary David Hydro, OSB, is a Benedictine Sister of Florida. A teacher at heart, she feeds "hungers" of God's people through Retreats & Spiritual Direction; she is Oblate Director and has involvements in Peace and Justice ministries.

"Jesus said to his disciples: Be watchful! Be alert! You do not know when the time will come." – Mark 13:33 

This weekend we celebrate the first Sunday of Advent and the beginning of new liturgical year. It's also Thanksgiving weekend.  Generally, when we think of Advent, our thoughts turn to preparing for the birth of our Savior at Christmas. The anticipation and birth of a child brings emotions of hope and joy. And yet, the reading from Mark's Gospel this weekend seems a bit more ominous.   

Advent is indeed a time of preparation. We prepare to celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ in history, and we prepare for His second coming in glory at the end of time. It is the latter that Our Lord is speaking of when He says, "Watch, therefore; you do not know when the Lord of the house is coming. May he not come suddenly and find you sleeping. What I say to you, I say to all: Watch!" In fact, the word "watch" is used four times in this short Gospel reading.   

Jesus mentions the times of the day when we are typically most tired or sleepy: evenings, mornings, midnight or at dawn. These are times when it is most difficult to stay awake and vigilant. Jesus was not using these times in the literal sense, but rather figuratively. The reality is that many people go through life on cruise control. We can fall into habits and lose track of the meaning and significance of why we do certain things – like going to Mass each weekend. Some miss a Sunday at church, then another, and then it becomes a pattern.   

We know that Our Lord will return in glory to judge the living and the dead. Our time on earth is but a moment in time, and we don't know how much time we may have. Therefore, we should be prepared. 

Live each day as if it could be your last day. Don't put off until tomorrow what we should do today. Tell your family and friends that you love them and forgive those who need to be forgiven. Seek God's forgiveness in your own life. Be the person that God has created you to be. Prepare. If you do so, there's no need to worry about the Master's return.   

Bishop Gregory Parkes

Did you know...

Most Reverend Gregory L. Parkes is the fifth Bishop of St. Petersburg. Prior to his appointment to the Diocese of St. Petersburg, Bishop Parkes served as the fifth Bishop of the Diocese of Pensacola-Tallahassee from 2012-2016. He was ordained to the priesthood for the Diocese of Orlando on June 26, 1999. Before answering the call to the priesthood, Bishop Parkes worked for several years in Tampa's banking industry.