2nd Monday of Advent (December 8). Prepare the way of the Lord

Prepare to listen.  Prepare the way of the Lord, make his paths straight.
 
Prayerfully Read Matthew 3:1-6
1In those days John the Baptist appeared in the wilderness of Judea, proclaiming, 2“Repent, for the kingdom of heaven has come near.”  3This is the one of whom the prophet Isaiah spoke when he said, “The voice of one crying out in the wilderness: ‘Prepare the way of the Lord, make his paths straight.’”  4Now John wore clothing of camel’s hair with a leather belt around his waist, and his food was locusts and wild honey.  5Then the people of Jerusalem and all Judea were going out to him, and all the region along the Jordan, 6and they were baptized by him in the river Jordan, confessing their sins.
 
Prayerfully Wonder and Reflect
Repent, change said John.  What might John ask you to do today?
 
John’s message is extraordinary.  He dared to claim that because of him, “the kingdom of heaven has come near.”  Therefore, he called for repentance.  Matthew understood John’s importance and identified him as the prophet Isaiah said would come to prepare the way of the Lord.  After that bold claim we’d expect Matthew to continue in the same vein, with some mind-blowing teaching.  Instead, he shifts to the mundane, describing John’s strange dress and even stranger eating habits.  However, that’s what authenticates John.  He wore similar clothing to the ancient prophet Elijah (1 Kings 1:8) and his task was as urgent—to prepare the way of the Lord by calling the people to repent, to change their minds and lifestyles.
 
Despite his strangeness and demanding message, crowds of people crossed the Jordan to hear John.  They were compelled to confess their sins and submit to John’s baptism as a sign of their willingness to change.  We don’t know what persuaded them or what words John used.  We only know people made the trip to where John was, an isolated wilderness area, and were baptized, owning up to their sins.
 
Today we, as followers of Jesus, are God’s messengers sent to prepare the way for Jesus, to make his paths straight, and thus possible for all to come to Jesus.  This doesn’t mean dumbing down the gospel, making it ‘user-friendly.’  Repentance is always costly because it means changing everything, how we think and how we live.
 
Think again about what you need to change to be more in line with Jesus and how you can start the change process?
 
Prayerfully Respond to Jesus
Lord, help me take repentance, changing my mind seriously and honestly so I too become a preparer of your way.  Amen.
 
Live Obediently.  Prepare the way of the Lord.