Prepare the Way of the Lord

Prepare the way of the Lord. That is the theme of today’s daily readings and Advent itself. In Advent, we prepare for the birth of the Son, Jesus, as well as for the second coming of Christ. Be ready, stay attentive, prepare – for we know not the hour in which He is coming.

As I reflect on the second coming, I must ask myself, “Am I ready? Am I prepared?” If the Lord comes tonight, have I led a life according to His Word? Have I preached the good news, loved my neighbor, and followed His commandments? Have I actually read His Word? At times in my life, I have felt prepared. Other times, including now, I have slipped into a place of complacency. I have forgotten to prioritize the main event – His future coming. Advent is a time to slow down, reprioritize life, and put Jesus first. To prepare the way for His birth, prepare my heart, and prepare for His second coming.

A few days ago, I went to the vigil Mass for the Immaculate Conception. In that Mass, I felt the Lord say to me, “I have called you by name.” A little later in Mass, He said, “The time is coming.” It is hard to pinpoint exactly the feeling that came over me as both of those truths surrounded my heart. God has called me by name. He has a purpose. Slowly, over time, He is revealing that purpose. I don’t know what it is yet, but the time is coming when I will know.

It’s hard to explain how I know something big is coming other than saying that the Lord told me so. I have not heard His voice aloud but in the silence of the chapel, through whispering, or through the voice of others. So how do I know it’s God? There’s a flutter in my heart when He speaks to me or shows me a vision. It’s a gut feeling or a combination of words/phrases that don’t quite make sense in the place I’m in. It’s the applicableness to a situation when reading His Divine Word. Ultimately, it is confirmation over time. This year is truly the first time I’ve heard the Lord’s voice consistently; likely, because it’s the first time I’ve listened. He has prepared me. He has told me over and over that I am ready; Now, I must prepare the way of the Lord.

What does it mean to prepare the way of the Lord? John the Baptist did it by speaking of baptisms of repentance for forgiveness of sins. He spoke of the one to come. In 2 Peter, it notes we prepare by “conducting yourselves in holiness and devotion, waiting for and hastening the coming of the day of God” (2 Peter 3:11-12). We need to increase our devotions to the Lord in scripture, sacraments, and praise. We need to better share the Word with all we encounter and tell of His coming. 2 Peter also says “that with the Lord one day is like a thousand years and a thousand years like one day. The Lord does not delay his promise, as some regard ‘delay,’ but he is patient with you, not wishing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance” (2 Peter 3:8-9). God is patient with us to repent back to Him. He wants all the pieces of us.

The time is coming. We know not the day or hour. He is coming for me, and for you. Are you prepared? For me, I know I’m not even close, and I imagine most of us would have a similar response. I have great work to do to prepare myself. In addition, we are called to help prepare others. Today, I am overwhelmed by the feeling that I need to preach his news and proclaim His kingdom on a larger scale. I am ready. He has called me by name. Are you ready to answer His call?

“In him we were also chosen, destined in accord with the purpose of the One who accomplishes all things according to the intention of his will, so that we might exist for the praise of his glory, we who first hoped in Christ.” – Ephesians 1:11-12