Second Sunday of Advent
Leading the Way
Have you ever been tasked with being the “advance person” for a new project, a new way of doing things, the rollout of a new policy or procedure? As the advance person, the messenger, you can create a plan and follow it, consistently and intentionally. Or you could just wing it, or go with the flow?
This pandemic time has given us some freedom to explore “alternative ways” of doing things. We don’t go to school the same way, go to work the same way, or even go to church the same way. We are being invited (and in some cases, forced) to think of other ways. We are experiencing the “desert” and “rugged lands.” A lot is uncomfortable, demanding of different attentiveness, requiring patience and persistence. We are an Advent people, living Advent themes, here and now!
We are also examining ourselves. How much do we trust the Shepherd? What kind of “messengers” are we being? What are we doing to ready the way for the coming of Jesus? Be creative!
Think of someone you know who needs encouragement, and ask yourself how you could “give comfort.” Then “speak tenderly” to that person, rousing new hope in his or her heart.
Sit with someone and create a list of Christian virtues that you think would help hasten the coming of Jesus. Then practice at least one of those virtues during the next three weeks before Christmas.
As we engage in being “advance persons” or messengers like John the Baptist, we have many opportunities to “prepare the way,” to live through the desert and rugged land, and to ready the way of Jesus to be central in our lives. We can make a plan or we can wing it. Which will we choose?
Perhaps God, the eternal messenger, is clearing the way for us and making our paths straight. And we can imagine a world where kindness and truth meet, where justice and peace kiss. Consider then, these questions created by Network for a national Zoom discussion I participated in last night:
What do you expect Christmas to look like this year—given all that is going on?
What are your concerns about engaging with family or friends who have different world views?
What is one step you can take to help heal a relationship in the coming year?
Messages of love and comfort for our mutual journeys can be found in the music and lyrics here: