Prepare the Way of the Lord

One

St. John the Baptist prepares the way for the Lord.

On the Third Sunday of Advent, the Church turns to St. John the Baptist to show us how to prepare to receive Jesus more fully at Christmas. John said, “I am the voice of one crying out in the desert, make straight the way of the Lord.”

The first thing we see in St. John the Baptist is that he lives in the wilderness, eats wild locusts, and wears camel hair. Have you ever worn camel hair straight on the skin? That is worse than…I don’t know…burlap. Why does John do this? 

Why does preparation for Christ require discipline of the body mind and soul? Well, the cave was able to receive the baby Jesus at Christmas because it was empty while the Inn was full.  Likewise, we have to empty ourselves by fasting from the things which are pushing Christ out.

Fast from eating and drinking to help you cope with anxiety and pain. Fast from all forms of pornography. Fast from gossip. Don’t gossip or read gossip or listen to gossip. Fast from your addiction to your screen. Fast from your addiction to news and social media, entertainment, and scrolling…and replace those things with the good things your body mind and soul really need like a deeper friendship with God, and the things that nourish your body mind and soul with truth, beauty, and goodness. Remember, we did a whole series of meditations on how to use you free time well – don’t forget those things. 

Jesus wants to set you free from your addictions through fasting so that He can fill you with what you really want, Himself this Christmas.

Two

John’s Detachment from the Opinions of Others

John the Baptist is able to speak the truth and speak it plainly. He is absolutely fearless. He speaks truth to the priests, the Pharisees, and the soldiers. He speaks truth to King Herod himself. He has no fear. He is not controlled by the opinions of others.

How does he do that? He does it by the discipline of solitude. He goes out into the desert. He spends time in silence with God, listening to the Word of God and thinking about it. Conforming His thinking to God’s way of thinking rather than the world, that is what is most important. So, he doesn’t constantly think about what other people think. Which makes him free to recognize and articulate the truth. 

Do you spend time in solitude and silence with Jesus thinking about what He says and conforming your thinking to His? Or do you spend your time on the news and analysts and commentators?

Cultivate the discipline of solitude. Go out into the desert, or at least go into your room. Shut the door. Pray in secret. Reflect in secret. Love to be alone with God. Then you might be able to give this lost world the truth when they come asking for it. 

We will conform our minds to Jesus or the world. Which will it be?

Three

John’s Detachment from Success

There’s a certain point in John’s life where his influence starts to fade. And the reason it fades is because Jesus takes His place. Jesus starts baptizing more people than John does. Jesus starts attracting all of John’s followers. And John’s disciples are upset. They say, “Hey, tell Jesus to stop destroying this ministry you’ve worked so hard to build up.” 

And John the Baptist says that he is content, that he rejoices at Jesus taking over. He says, “He must increase, and I must decrease.” See, John doesn’t care about success, about his legacy or making his mark. All He cares about is whether Christ is known and loved, and whether God’s will is done.

We have to remember that our work, our projects, the things we build, professionally or as volunteers are not that important in themselves. All that matters is that we do good for others and that people come closer to Christ. If that happens better by our work being dismantled or ignored or updated by someone else, so be it. He must increase, we must decrease.

We spend so much time trying to carve our names into the face of the earth. But this earth will pass away. All that matters is that our names, and as many names as possible, be written in the Book of Heaven. 

Four

John Teaches us the Meaning of Suffering

Christmas is supposed to be the happiest time of year. But maybe you are experiencing some deep suffering or loss. How can we be happy in suffering? By his martyrdom, John the Baptist helps us see that Jesus did not come to take away suffering, but to transform it and give it meaning.

Suffering has meaning because it is good for us and good for others. How can this be? 

First, suffering can be good for us because it can empty us of our pride, our self-reliance, and our disordered loves, making room in our souls to be filled by God. This is why St. Maryam of Bethlehem said we can “always be content” because God uses all things, even suffering to bring us what we really want and need – Jesus. 

Second, our Suffering can help others. Jesus is inviting us to help him save souls by our suffering. All we need to do is accept what you did not choose, do not like, and cannot chang, then offer it to Jesus. Don’t waste your suffering. Souls depend on you.  

Whatever you face St. Paul says, “Rejoice always, give thanks in all circumstances for this is the will of God for you.” 1 Thessalonians 5:16 

Thank God right now for the cross in your life because it is the most effective means to empty you and fill you with Jesus this Christmas and to help bring the souls of others to Him. 

Five

John as an arrow to Christ

John was an arrow. He pointed to Christ, and he said, “Behold! There is the Lamb of God who takes away the Sins of the World.”

This is the most important way we’re called to imitate John the Baptist. We are called to let our whole life be an arrow to Christ. When people look at us, we want the next thing they think about to be Jesus. So often, because of our sins and selfishness, because of our intemperance, because of our vanity and ambition, we try to point to ourselves. That’s all we want people to think about, us. In those cases, our life becomes a distraction from Christ, not an arrow to him.

This is especially important for our children and grandchildren. We are not responsible for making our children Holy. But we are responsible for giving them holy parents and grandparents. So let’s pray to St. John the Baptist, to intercede for us so that we can become a bridge, an arrow – not an obstacle – to the Lord. 

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