A soap manufacturer and a Catholic priest were walking together down a street in a large city. The soap manufacturer casually said, “The Gospel you preach hasn’t done much good, has it? Just observe. There is still a lot of wickedness in the world, and a lot of wicked people, too!”
The priest made no reply until they passed a dirty little child making mud pies in an abandoned lot. Seizing the opportunity, the priest said, “I see that soap hasn’t done much good in the world either; for there is much dirt still here, and many dirty people are still around.”
The soap manufacturer said, “Oh, well, soap only works when it is applied.” And the priest smiled and replied, “Exactly! So, it is with the Gospel.”
This is a lesson for us all . . . the Gospel needs to be applied in our daily lives and Advent is the perfect opportunity to recommit ourselves to it.
As you may recall, a couple of years ago, a group from our parish visited the Holy Land in Jerusalem. During this visit, we were blessed to see the house where Elizabeth lived while she was pregnant with John the Baptist. Her home was on the top of a hill, and we had to climb many stairs to reach it.
We also visited the house where John the Baptist was born and raised, which is in the same village, not far from Elizabeth’s house. Churches have been built over these houses, allowing pilgrims to pray and celebrate Mass at these sacred places.
John the baptist is the central figure in today’s gospel.
Saint John the Baptist is a bridge between the Old and the New Testaments. He is the last of the Old Testament prophets. Like the prophet Isaiah and all the other Old Testament prophets,
he preached the coming of a Messiah without knowing who that Messiah would be and when he would arrive. At the same time, he is the first of the New Testament prophets because he points most directly at Jesus, the one who was mightier and who would baptize with fire and the Holy Spirit.
Just as he prepared the people for the preaching of Jesus, so we are preparing ourselves for the celebration of His birth into our world. Just as he cautioned the people to be ready to receive Him when He comes, so we are looking carefully at our own hearts to make sure we are ready to receive Him when He comes again.
Saint John the Baptist’s actions and words in today’s gospel give us some insight into how we should live these Advent days of preparation so that we can receive Jesus into our hearts with renewed joy.
The first insight comes from the place that Saint John the Baptist chose to live and preach – the desert. He didn’t go into the bustling city to confront people or into the Temple area where they were gathering to pray. He didn’t go into the local synagogues to announce his message. Rather, he withdrew to the quiet of the desert. Away from all the noise of the city, he could hear God’s voice more clearly. Far from the pleasures of urban life, he could pray more peacefully.
This Advent Season is a call for us to enter the desert, not literally but figuratively. It is a call to withdraw from all the hustle and bustle of daily life and find a quiet place. Just as Saint John the Baptist refused to get sucked into all the distractions of daily life in the city, so we are being called to step aside from all the manic preparations for Christmas Day that involve everything but prayer and reflection. If we are to celebrate the real reason for Christmas – Jesus Christ – then refusing to get caught up in the busyness of the season will leave more time for prayer and reflection.
Our weekly Eucharistic adoration on Tuesdays, [1.30-6.30] is a good time to be with the Lord and it also can be a time for reflection and meditation. I strongly encourage you to come and experience this wonderful time with the Lord in silence especially during this Advent.
The second insight comes from Saint John the Baptist’s peaching which says every valley shall be filled and every mountain and hill shall be made low. The winding roads shall be made straight. He urges people to transform their lives, clearing the path so the Savior can enter directly into their hearts.
The Advent season is a time of repentance which is why we wear purple at Mass. It is sin that keeps us from welcoming Jesus into our hearts and sharing Him with others.
Jesus loves sinners and He died for them. The greater the sinner, the more right he has to God’s mercy. The Parables of the Lost Sheep and the Prodigal Son teach us just how radical God’s mercy is. Acknowledging God’s merciful love in the scarcement of Reconciliation is the best way to prepare to welcome Jesus at this Christmas.
Saint John the Baptist shows us that this Advent Season is a time for us to withdraw from the business of the world and reflect on how we can welcome Jesus into our hearts. That means spending time in prayer, receiving the sacrament of Reconciliation, treating one another justly. Then, like Saint John the Baptist, we will be able to point to the one Who is to come, Who is mightier than we are, and Who promises to establish justice and peace on earth.