Today’s Gospel tells us to “prepare the way of the Lord”. St. John the Baptist cries out as a herald of both joy and challenge. The consequence of truly “preparing” our heart for Jesus is joy! Doing it, regularly and faithfully, is the challenge.
To grow in our spiritual life, we must always have in the forefront of our minds that God never proposes an unachieveable goal. He doesn’t set us up for failure. When we exercise our free will in accord with God’s mind and eye, we succeed. When we want to do it our way, we fall flat on our faces. All the commandments, all the teachings, all the promises from the Lord are both doable and fulfillable. God has built us to win, He has destined us for eternal life.
So, some easy steps help us to “prepare” for Christ not only during the Christmas Season, but, on our whole journey of life.
- Be a pray-er. Prayer enlightens the mind, helps us to meditate on the mysteries of God, and can produce answers, and give us peace. Pray for an open heart, one desirous of His Sacred Heart. Be one with God in prayer. It helps us to prepare!
- Be a reflection of God to the world around you. God is love—we are called to be like Him. How we sacrifice for others, how we give to lift others up, how we speak about others—all these ways produce the fruit of divine love in this many times chaotic and too often dark world. By reflecting the generosity of God, we prepare our souls to not only appreciate God’s love for us, but, the courage it takes to love our neighbor as we love ourselves.
- Speak, act, and think boldly of Jesus Christ. To be a Christian is not something we are born into. It is a way of life. A heart that prepares for Christ daily is a heart that believes and has faith and trust. The more we think, act and speak like a Christian, the more we become Christ-like!
So, Advent isn’t only about “preparing” for Christmas. It is a opportunity to train for a lifetime of joy in and service to our Savior. So, faithfully and regularly—”Prepare the way of the Lord!”