Gospel
And he went into all the region around the Jordan, proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. As it is written in the book of the words of Isaiah the prophet,
‘The voice of one crying in the wilderness:
“Prepare the way of the Lord,
make his paths straight.
Every valley shall be filled,
and every mountain and hill shall be made low,
and the crooked shall become straight,
and the rough places shall become level ways,
and all flesh shall see the salvation of God.” ’
From the Grandstand
There are two reasons why we might prepare for the arrival of someone important. One is the influence or power they may have over us and our interests. The other is the love we have for them. Yes, because love makes the people we care for important. This is how God sees us. If someone important is coming to our home, we tidy up, clean thoroughly, paint if needed… we put in more effort than we normally would.
Now, this “Someone” important who is coming is the Son of God. He matters both because of His power and because of how much we love Him. And He comes to dwell in my heart, where all my innermost thoughts reside. There, nothing can be hidden from Him. And He will see, above all, how my relationship with my spouse is. What will He find when He arrives? It’s time to make a special effort to organise my desires, tame my passions, purge my heart of the vices that have taken root, and brighten the darkness that clouds my vision when I look at you.
The Lord is coming, and all flesh shall see the salvation of God.
Applied to Married Life:
Andrew: Thelma, I’ve looked deep into my heart, and I’ve seen what Christ will see from there. In my heart, nothing is hidden, nothing is protected—it’s all laid bare. What I see and my intentions, the judgements I make, the thoughts I sometimes have about you, my rejections, my desires, my feelings… Everything, absolutely everything, passes through my heart. And that’s where God is coming to be born again this Christmas.
Darling, I sat for a while at the foot of the throne reserved for God in my heart. It was like the grandstand, the prime seat reserved for VIPs, from where everything that happens can be seen. On the playing field of that great stadium, every move, every foul, every pass, and every shot was visible. But I saw so many shameful and disgraceful plays: dirty tactics due to my darkened outlook, elbowing to assert dominance, quick judgements and internal condemnations. I had to leave because I couldn’t bear the thought of the Son of God witnessing my poor behaviour.
Thelma: Well, darling, God is merciful, and He will see all of that through a different lens.
Andrew: I know, Thelma, but I need to do something so He doesn’t have to watch my selfishness, negativity, and quick judgements. I want to train my team to play with humility, joy, and patience. I want to prepare a team built on virtues so that when the King arrives to watch the match, He delights in every goal. And I want to defeat evil with a resounding victory. Will you be my coach?
Thelma: You’re so funny… Alright, deal! To start with, how about you give up watching so much football this Advent? You seem a little obsessed…
Mother,
Whatever it takes to prepare the way for the Lord. May that voice not cry out in the wilderness but resonate within me these days. Preparation, discipline, training… the Saviour is coming, and all flesh shall see Him. Praise be to Him forever.