AN INVITATION TO PREPARE THE WAY OF THE LORD
First Reading: Isaiah 40: 1-5 and 9-11
Second Reading: 2 Peter 3: 8-14
Gospel Reading: Mark 1: 1-8
*First reading is from the book of Prophet Isaiah. Isaiah elaborates the great blessings that the Lord God is going to bestow in the lives of His chosen people when they return from their captivity in Babylon. They are urged to prepare the way of the Lord God and make His paths straight. They are to make a highway for the Lord God by leveling the mountains and hills and all uneven grounds. This theme of preparing the way of the Lord is explained and expanded in today's Gospel.
*Second reading is from the second letter of St. Peter. Peter explains to the Christian community about the second coming of Lord Jesus. At His coming, Christ will establish a new heaven and a new earth. For that, we His followers should prepare ourselves by living our lives in holiness and godliness. The Apostle warns us that, if the Lord appears to be slow in coming, it is for the purpose that all people may have a chance to repent and be ready to meet Him when He comes.
John the Baptist: The voice of the one crying in the desert Today's Gospel reading is from St. Mark. The mission and the life of John the Baptist is introduced and elaborated. John announces the imminent coming of the Saviour. All people are invited to prepare for His coming. Then John introduces Jesus to the people as one sent by God. John works no miracles, holds no office of repute. He is not part of any influential groups of that time. Yet, his importance to Jesus is very unique. He is the only religious leader whom Jesus sought and spoke with great affection and admiration. He is described as a voice crying in the wilderness. John introduces Jesus as someone who is more powerful than he. John understands that his importance is precisely because of the greatness of Jesus. During this advent John is challenging all of us to prepare the way of the Lord and to foster greatness in others without feeling threatened about our own importance and greatness. John's was a voice crying in the wilderness, a lonely voice that many chose to ignore. In today's world too there are many lonely voices which go unheeded.
"When you journey through Advent to Christmas, you begin to see Jesus more fully. You recognize that His incarnation was the beginning of the redemption," - Glenn. P
"It is the beautiful task of Advent to awaken in all of us memories of goodness and thus to open doors of hope." - Pope Benedict XVI
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