Second Sunday of Advent

Using Our Voice to Prepare the Way

Voices, I hear voices! To whom do they belong? Where are they coming from? What are they saying? To whom are they speaking?

Our Scriptures for this weekend are all about speaking, about being a voice. They are called exhortatory texts. In other words, they make an urgent appeal to listeners. They encourage, warn, or challenge and often include a call to action.

When a voice cries out, what does it sound like? When we cry out at the top of our voice, what does that sound like? And what do we use our voices to cry out about?

I can think of many things. When I think of what our voices can do, I know that they can hurt and I know that they can heal. I know the words of comfort that I witness at funerals. I also know the urgent voices of people marching in solidarity with those who are suffering discrimination or injustice. I witness the pleading voices of those suffering from raging fires in California, of those wanting to protect our earth, of the “Me too” victims of sexual harassment and assault, of those trying to escape domestic violence, of the Rohingya people experiencing persecution in Myanmar.

How do I use my voice and become one who, like the prophets, cries out in what seems to be a wilderness? I can challenge those in power, I can stop keeping secrets, and I can speak out for someone. I can listen to the voices, and I can act on what I know.

Ours is the task of being messengers of peace. We are also advocates, like the prophets Isaiah and John the Baptist. We too participate in “preparing the way of the Lord and making straight his paths.”

Our Advent journey of Living in Watchfulness and Waiting in Wonder continues. Jesus is coming.  Freedom is coming. The desire to experience Advent hope and Advent peace challenge us to use our voices.