Sunday, December 6th, Advent II, Prepare the way of the Lord
Isaiah 40:1-11, Psalm 85.1–2, 8–13, 2 Peter 3:8-15a, Mark 1:1-8
When we hear the words of John the Baptist, ‘Prepare the way of the Lord, make his paths straight,'” we think it is all about God. But can we prepare the way of the Lord without it having something to do with ourselves?
The mystics comment about the big question of who is God. And the question which always follows is; who is the one asking? So this means preparing our own way and make our own path straight. This then calls us into connection with God and by extent ion our neighbour as well.
This time of Advent is a time to ask again the question; who is God for me, and who am I who is asking this question. The answers to both questions are different from last Advent or the last time we asked these questions. Our spiritual journey continues.
Given the situation we are in with isolation and the pandemic, this Advent gives us more pause to ask these questions.
The question comes from the voice of John the Baptist crying out in the wilderness.
The idea of wilderness for today reminds me of Elijah’s experience of wilderness in 1Kings 19:4,11,12
4 But Elijah went a day’s journey into the wilderness, and came and sat down under a [a]broom tree. And he prayed that he might die, and said, “It is enough! Now, Lord, take my life, for I am no better than my fathers!”
11 Then He said, “Go out, and stand on the mountain before the Lord.” And behold, the Lord passed by, and a great and strong wind tore into the mountains and broke the rocks in pieces before the Lord, but the Lord was not in the wind; and after the wind an earthquake, but the Lord was not in the earthquake; 12 and after the earthquake a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire; and after the fire [e]a still small voice.
The concept from Elijah in the wilderness is one of isolation and a still small voice.
At this time of this Advent when we are all in some form of isolation, may we take the time to listen to the still small voice and continue to prepare the way of the lord in our own lives and our lives together?
This may mean using the time in the wilderness to spend the time in prayer and contemplation and as well what we do with the rest of our time, and think in creative ways use our time and also what this will mean when Christmas and the joy of freedom will come.
Amen