Reflection
Several years ago, a priest with whom I
worked was scheduled to preach on this same Sunday of the Church Year. On the pulpit was a large alarm clock. The priest (who was not the presider) was
nowhere in sight. After a few silent
moments following the proclaiming of the Gospel, a man came up the center aisle
of the Church, waving his fists and yelling “prepare the way of the Lord!” His hair was mussed and he wore a garment
that looked shabby, torn and dirty. His
eyes glistened wildly. When he arrived
in the sanctuary and began making his way to the pulpit, we all realized that
this was the priest. His message was
clear. By his startling appearance and
the oversized clock, he was telling us all that it was time we woke up to the
presence of God among us.
Today, in this second Sunday of Advent, the person calling
attention to the presence of God is John the Baptist. He is the one who came to wake the people up
to a new reality, paving the way for Jesus.
John speaks to us as well. We are
being called to make straight the path for Jesus, so that he may be welcomed
anew into our world. We clear this path
by being awakened to our failings and sin so that we might clear anything that
is blocking the way.