This has not been my favorite year, nor yours, I suspect.  From the wilderness, of all places, a shout of good news is heard:  In the desert, prepare the way of the Lord!  This is a most remarkable statement.  The way of the Lord will not be made through shopping malls or government halls.  Only Christ can bring true peace.  He is the way.

Through the liturgy during this Advent Season, the gift of hope and peace are offered as God’s gift to us.  The call of John the Baptist does far more than simply provide a model of asceticism; it also directs our vision to the coming of the Lord, the Prince of Peace.  The Church is placing before us the call to open our hearts, to purify and direct them completely to the one who is coming.  We can express our desire for these graces in the words of today’s Advent Collect:  “May no earthly undertaking hinder those who set out in haste to meet your Son, but may our learning of heavenly wisdom gain us admittance to his company.”

The peace of the Lord be with you always,

Fr. John Mahoney