Friday of the Second Week of Advent
Our readings today beg the question, what will it take for us to listen? Especially in this Advent season, when we know the Lord is coming, what will it take for us to truly prepare the way? Isaiah shares, “I, the Lord, your God, teach you what is for your good, and lead you on the way you should go. If you would hearken to my commandments…” (Is 48:18). We might acknowledge in our minds that God loves us and knows what is good for us, but when we attempt to accept this in our hearts, will it change how we live each day? As Matthew Kelly shares in this year’s edition of “The Best Advent Ever,” the will of God is not a mystery. Sometimes we think it is so difficult to know and then to follow the will of God. In reality, however, what we know is that God wants us to fulfill our potential and, in Matthew Kelly’s words, become “the best version of ourselves.” So God lays out the commandments and shows us, through Jesus, Mary, and the communion of saints, how to live in virtue. Thérese of Lisieux said, “Jesus does not demand great actions from us but simply surrender and gratitude.” Sometimes we are bustling about trying to figure out how to be happy, trying to follow our will and our path in life, rather than God’s way. Often, the path we create entails worrying about, and paying attention to, trivial matters and we end up ignoring God and not paying attention to all of the signs of God’s love in our lives. In the Gospel, Jesus warns, “We played the flute for you, but you did not dance, we sang a dirge but you did not mourn” (Mt 11:17). Jesus points out that John was criticized for not eating and drinking while the same people criticize Jesus for eating and drinking. When we begin to define our own path, we do not pay attention to the signs in front of us.
It is Advent…Jesus is coming! Am I paying attention? Last weekend, we heard John the Baptist--the voice calling out in the desert, “Prepare the way of the Lord”. His total rejection of earthly comforts in favor of the message of God is an example that is completely antithetical to our current culture. Nevertheless, the Messiah is coming, and we must acknowledge his presence by a sincere change of heart. As we continue to prepare for the coming of Christ, let us pursue opportunities to be impacted by the presence of love in our lives. God recognizes our love by how we treat others and we can follow his will by sharing great love in big and small ways. On our journey with God, it is our mission to act as prophets of love, showing surrender and gratitude, and transforming the world through common, simple acts in daily life.
May God Bless You,
Brandon Meyer