Baruch 5:1–9
Psalm 126:1–2, 2–3, 4–5, 6
Philippians 1:4–6, 8–11
Luke 3:1–6
Advent invites us to acknowledge the presence of God in our lives, now and forever. God calls us all to be open to His presence, creating space for Him in our own hearts. We cannot do this without the action of grace. Salvation is a gift, but our weakness makes it impossible to accept the gift without the help of God Himself.
That help is readily given; we call it mercy. To fill in the valleys and straighten the paths within, to create the highway for our God within our souls, we are called to make choices that give God the room He needs to work in us. It means giving God’s Spirit direct access to our hearts and to our lives, not holding back or barring the door in any way.
The sacraments are the ordinary means of grace that are given to us. Baptism opens the door. But we have to choose to go through the door and to enter into the power and grace of the sacramental life. For Catholics, the sacrament of reconciliation is the means that renews us in grace most powerfully. It is the sacrament of mercy.
Hear the invitation offered in your parish to prepare the way for Christ in your heart through confession. John the Baptist’s cry still echoes in our hearts: “Prepare the way of the Lord, make straight his paths . . . all flesh shall see the salvation of God.” Invite someone to join you. Let this be truly an Advent of preparation and not just a busy season. It is time to respond to mercy.
There are troubles in the world. But every trouble out there begins in here. To meet the world’s challenges, we must accomplish two actions. One concerns our intellect – our capacity for knowing – and the other concerns our will – our capacity for loving and choosing.
We must come to know the truth that God and His Church are always acting on our behalf. Even when members of the Church fail – whether among the leaders or the general flock – God is still in charge, and it will all work out for our salvation.
God is trustworthy and true. To prepare the way for Him, we must accept this deep in our spirits, clinging to our faith. This means trusting in God and listening to Him as He speaks through the voice of the Church, even in her brokenness.
We live for the praise of God’s glory. Joy in receiving the word of truth – even when it is painful to hear – is a sign that the Spirit is at work in us. We can be confident that God will complete the good work He has begun in us, if only we respond to His call.
God Himself prepares the way into our hearts. But He seeks our cooperation. Confession is good for the soul. We need Jesus. Only God can help us. The Spirit is at work in us. The complexities of our world are not a match for God. He created us.
Advent presents us with an opportunity to review our experience of God’s providence and to rediscover the hope that has been given to us. Hope resides in the memory, the faculty of the human spirit that allows us to stitch together what we have experienced into a trajectory.
We recall where we have been and the simple truth that God has always been there for us. Hope invites us to look to the future. Each one of us is still on a journey. God will be there for us throughout our lives. He has a plan that will bring it all together for the whole of creation.
When we express gratitude to God, we acknowledge our relationship with Him. We must acknowledge that it is because the Lord has done great things for us, we are filled with joy.
Jesus invites us to open our lives to Him. God takes delight in the human race because He sees the perfection He intends for us fulfilled in Jesus His Son. In Jesus, and in His Church, especially the sacraments, we are filled with joy.