May Jesus Christ be
praised and may his holy Mother pray for us.
In the season of Advent
we keep watch for the one who keeps his promise. We keep watch for the dawn from on high which
shall break upon us. We keep watch for
the coming of the Savior, and we prepare the way of the Lord.
Isaiah the prophet has
invited us. John the Baptist has invited
us. Holy Mother Church invites us. Prepare the way of the Lord. Make straight the highways and fill in the
valleys. Prepare a highway for our God
because the glory of the Lord shall be revealed. Announce the good news from the mountain tops
and bring the glad tidings of great joy to the holy city of Jerusalem. The Lord Most High shall come to his
people. The Good Shepherd shall gather
his flock and lead them with care. This
is the promise of the prophets. This is
the promise made to you and to me. The
Lord shall come to us. The visitation of
the Savior is near. Prepare the way of
the Lord.
There are valleys in
darkness that need the light. There are
roads that are blocked that need to be cleared.
There are tombs that are sealed that need to be opened by the word of
life and the light of glory. But they
are not outside of us. These places are
within us. Within us there are the
shadows of darkness that need light.
Within us there are roads that are blocked that need to be cleared. Within us there are tombs that need to be
opened by the word of life and the light of glory.
And Christ our Savior,
the Light of the world that no darkness can overcome, shall clear the highways
and speak the word. John the Baptist
preached repentance and wore a cloak of camel hair. People came from all over the countryside of
Judea to receive a baptism of repentance as they acknowledged their sins. At the invitation of the prophet, they sought
to prepare the way of the Lord.
The preacher of
repentance has given up the cloak of camel hair and taken up the purple
stole. No longer shall we go to the side
of the river in the Judean countryside, but to the parish church. No longer do we seek the water that flows
from the spring, but from the chair of the prophet we shall seek the mercy that
flows from the heart of Christ. In the
sacrament of reconciliation we prepare the way of the Lord. In that place where we fear to find a judge,
we find the welcome of the Savior. In
that place where we fear to receive the punishment of justice, we receive the abundance
of mercy. Do not fear his mercy. Prepare the way of the Lord. Amen.
Preached
at Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic Church, Monroe, NC
