I . BIBLICO-LITURGICAL REFLECTIONS

Last November, the second grade students from St. Anthony of Padua Parish school visited our convent in Fresno and entertained the Sisters with a special All Saints presentation.  Thirty-five youngsters dressed as saints presented a brief biography of the various personages they represent.  After the very educational and inspiring program, we served the miniature "saints" some hot chocolate and cookies.  I greeted a young "St. John the Baptist" dressed in a violet tunic and light colored headgear and enthused:  "Congratulations!  You're a very important person, St. John the Baptist!  You're the forerunner of Christ and you tell people about him."  The little boy nodded in affirmation, his eyes sparkling.

Indeed, the Gospel figure, John the Baptist carried out a very important and vital ministry, the ministry of a precursor.  As a voice crying out in the wilderness, he heralded the coming of the mighty one who is to come.  His task was to focus the salvific yearning of the people on the coming Messiah.  Unlike the second grade "John the Baptist" who was dressed in a violet tunic to symbolize the Advent expectation, the John the Baptist in the Gospel of Mark is depicted as "clothed in camel's hair, with a leather belt around his waist."  His clothing was reminiscent of the prophet Elijah.  Cf. 2 Kgs 1:8.  In this way, Mark was presenting him as the new Elijah, the precursor who would pave the way for the coming of the Messiah.  John the Baptist is a very important figure that accompanies the Church's preparation for the coming of Christ.  As we continue in our spiritual journey in the Advent season, the prophetic exhortation of the one who cries out in the wilderness resounds anew in the depths of our heart:  "Prepare the way of the Lord."

"Prepare the way of the Lord" is the living Word of God addressed to us today through the precursor John's prophetic cry.  What does it mean for us?  According to A. Tessarolo:  "The message of God's Word coming to us today is twofold: to convert ourselves first to the Lord who comes and then, to dedicate ourselves to the missionary task of witnessing.  In the first place, the committed task of preparing the Lord's way within us: in our hearts, in our lives.  Before thinking of converting others, we should first be converted to the Lord, seek him in our prayer, serve him in our brothers and sisters, and follow him in the eventful scandal of the cross."  The Advent programmatic cry "Prepare the way of the Lord" is therefore a call to personal conversion as well as a vocation to proclaim the message of consolation.

In order to glean the rich and heartwarming message of the Gospel message, we need to see it in the context of the Deutero-Isaiah prophecy, proclaimed as the first reading in today's Sunday liturgy.  Cf. Is 40:1-5, 9-11.  The Consoling prophecy is about the return of the people of Israel from their exile in Babylon.  The mysterious voice addressing the prophet "Prepare in the wilderness a way for Yahweh" evokes the salvific experience of the people of Yahweh in their exodus through the desert wilderness to the Promised Land.  The return of the Babylonian exiles is depicted in Deutero-Isaiah's Book of Consolation as a new and marvelous Exodus.  The one to lead them is no longer the cloud and pillar of fire, but God the Lord who comes with power and rules by his strong arm.  The beautiful description of the mighty leader of the new Exodus is truly comforting and heartwarming:  "Like a shepherd he feeds his flock; in his arms he gathers the lambs" (Is 40:11).  Indeed, the Deutero-Isaiah prophecy of hope is resounded anew in John the Baptist's cry in the wilderness of the Jordan concerning "the mightier one" who is to come after him and whose sandals he was not even worthy to unstrap.  In the vision of a Christian believer, the consoling prophecy is radically fulfilled in Christ the Messiah, the "Lamb of God" and the "Good Shepherd" of the new flock, the Church.

The community of Christian believers is thus the recipient of the radically new message of consolation fulfilled in Jesus Christ.  As the Church of today we are being enjoined "to conduct ourselves in holiness and devotion, waiting for and hastening the coming of the day of the Lord."  The Advent program "Prepare the way of the Lord" is an invitation to personal conversion and missionary witnessing, yes, but it is also a call to lift up our eyes and see our remarkable destiny in the "new heaven and new earth in which righteousness dwells" (2 Pt 3:13)

II. POINTS FOR THE EXAMINATION OF THE HEART

1. "A voice of one crying out in the desert:  Prepare the way of the Lord, make straight his paths."   The Gospel we have read prayerfully and reflected upon resounded the prophetic voice that summons to personal conversion and missionary witnessing.  In our messianic waiting today, do we dedicate ourselves to penance and personal conversion?  Do we celebrate the Advent of the Church as a time of mission and Christian witnessing?

2. "Here comes with power the Lord God ... Like a shepherd he feeds his flock."  Do we celebrate the Good News of God's incredible love for us?  Do we allow ourselves to be consoled by the message of hope?  Do we try to carry out the task of a precursor and the ministry of consolation to the poor and destitute, to the many people around us who have lost hope?

3. "We await new heavens and a new earth, in which righteousness dwells."   Are we active participants in this time of waiting for "new heavens and a new earth" by our holiness of life, by our respect for God and his beloved creation, and by our positive and creative involvement in the political, social, economic and ecological sphere?

III. PRAYING WITH THE WORD

(Adapted from Glory to the Lord, Paul Brunner and Andrew Chao.  Manila: EAPI, 1965, P. 7, 29-30)

• Leader: Listen to the voice of one crying in the desert:  "Prepare the way of the Lord.  Make straight his paths."

  • Assembly: Eternal, only begotten Son of God, in this holy season of Advent, prepare our hearts to celebrate your coming.  Cleanse our hearts through sincere penance, and grant us the spirit of silence and openness to grace which we need to celebrate your mysteries.

• Leader: Listen to the sacred command:  "Comfort, give comfort to my people ... Cry out at the top of your voice:  Here is your God!  Like a shepherd he feeds his flock; in his arms he gathers the lambs."

  • Assembly: Lord Jesus, helper of the poor, makes us generous in doing works of charity, so that we may be admitted into your kingdom.

• Leader: Listen to the divine promise about the new heavens and a new earth.

  • Assembly: Lord Jesus, our strength, helps us with your grace on our earthly pilgrimage so that we may attain the promise of new heavens and a new earth.

IV. INTERIORIZATION OF THE WORD

The following sacred text is a living word to nourish us through the week.  Please memorize it.

"Prepare the way of the Lord, make straight his paths."  (Mk 1:3)

V. TOWARDS LIFE TRANSFORMATION

1. ACTION PLAN A: During the Advent season, try to participate in a communal celebration of penance and reconciliation.

2. ACTION PLAN B: Contribute to the best of your ability to the missionary efforts of the Church to preach the Good News and to alleviate the sufferings of the poor through prayer and material resources.

Prepared by Sr. Mary Margaret Tapang  PDDM

PIAE DISCIPULAE DIVINI MAGISTRI

SISTER DISCIPLES OF THE DIVINE MASTER

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