It’s the first week of Advent; that time at the beginning of the liturgical year when the alarm clock goes off. Wake up! There is much to do before the end of the day, or, better stated, the end of days. Jesus is coming, and soon. Are we ready? No more sleepwalking. No more dully going through the routine. We must prepare. But how?
When St. John the Baptist appeared before Jesus’ manifestation, he called people to repent, to make crooked ways straight and to produce good fruit as evidence of their repentance. It is no wonder that we have John’s exhortations given to us in the readings of this Advent season.
Have we awakened to the fact that our ways are winding, and we cannot be our own saviors? Do we remember who we belong to and at what price? Are we willing to examine our conduct toward our neighbor and recognize our indifference, our judgments, our failures to bind up wounds and our blindness to the inestimable dignity of every person created by God in His image?
We all are called to repentance and to a willing entrustment of ourselves to the very God who gave His life to save us.
John also answered the question of what are we to do by telling those around him to share with those in need. He gave his followers this practical advice of how to produce the good fruits of their repentance. He told workers (tax collectors and soldiers) to toil honestly without grumbling about their wages. Simple things, ordinary things that can actually demonstrate in whom we place our trust.
So, in this graced time of year, when the alarm clock has sounded, let us shake off our deadly sleep and look to Christ to give us His light. The sacrament of reconciliation is even more widely available in every parish in the diocese. Let us resolve to go to meet Christ there in this season.
There are many opportunities to share what we have with those in need. Let us remember the many Catholic charities in our diocese (Catholic Social Services, St. Stephen’s Community House, St. Vincent Family Services, J.O.I.N. and the Society of St. Vincent de Paul) and support them in their mission to serve those in need.
Let us also be alert to the people around us. May we recognize their dignity. May we have enough interest in them to see their needs. And, may we be generous in our response. In this way, we can make straight the road for the coming of our Lord and rejoice when He appears.
Mark Huddy is the Episcopal Moderator for Catholic Charities and the Office for Social Concerns in the Diocese of Columbus.