Prepare the Way by Fr Leo Patalinghug

Prepare the way!

When I was in the seminary, my spiritual director suggested a beautiful way to prepare for Christmas.  He encouraged me to meditate on a biblical person related to the Birth of Jesus.  It’s a style of prayer called lectio divina – reading the scriptures in a meditative and “interactive” way.  Perhaps you could concentrate on the feelings shared by Mary, Joseph, Zachariah, Elizabeth, a shepherd, the magi, or even the angels.  We do a similar type of meditation when kids act out parts of the nativity scene with the three kings, the shepherds, angels, or (like me in 3rd grade) as the little drummer boy.   In other words, to help us experience Christmas, it may be a good idea to reflect on the people who were involved in the world’s first Christmas. 

(Arlington Seminarian, Thomas, posing as a shepherd with a live goat as part of their hall’s Christmas decoration.)

One biblical character doesn’t show up at the Christmas Scene in Bethlehem, but his presence is very much noticed in the bible passages prior to the nativity narrative.  That person is St. John the Baptist – Jesus’ slightly older cousin, prophet, martyr, and herald for the One who is to come.

(St.John the Baptist)

As said before, I realize John the Baptist wasn’t in Bethlehem at the time of Jesus’ birth.  Yet his presence in scripture is deeply felt this time of the year.  In the liturgical readings prior to Christmas, we hear how John leapt for joy in his mother’s womb when Mary, pregnant with Jesus, came to visit John’s mother Elizabeth.  We read how John went out of his way – in fact very far away – in order to seek God’s presence in the silence of the desert, as did his ancestors for forty years.  John points out Christ as the “Lamb of God” (I love the food reference), reminding us that only Jesus can satisfy every hunger and atone for the emptiness of our sins. 

When John the Baptist prophesies, “Prepare the way of the Lord,” do we imitate the people present at the first Christmas or do we simply just buy what commercials tell us to?

(Wrapped Gifts but unwrapped faith!)

John reminds all people how best to prepare for Jesus.  He teaches us to have pure hearts, as did Mary and Joseph.  To have the desire to see the light, as did the shepherds.  To come bringing Jesus gifts, like the three kings.  And to sing the glory of God – like the angels.  John’s simplicity of life challenges us to make our lives a little simpler, less dramatic, and less complicated.  That’s the meaning of his prophecies:  make low the mountains, fill in the valleys, and make the crooked ways straight.

(More Seminarian/Shepherds with more live goats!)

In this busy time of the year, when we prepare for the celebration of Christmas with gifts, parties, and foods, John the Baptist reminds us how best to celebrate Christmas.  To try as best we can to make the meaning of Christmas come alive in our hearts by taking time to pray “with” the people in the Scriptures.  John’s recommendations to prepare for Christmas aren’t supposed to lead us to guilt, but to conversion.

 (The Sacrament of Confession – a great way to spiritually prepare for Christmas.)

Christmas for John the Baptist was an opportunity to grow in love – not financial debt!  For John the Baptist, Jesus is the Lamb of God who can satisfy every one of our hungers – and can do it without calories. 
Get ready for Christmas.  But first, prepare the way!

A lamb dish blessed by God!

Lamb chops!  A great temptation and a fitting recipe for this week’s blast.

Click here for Recipe.

Prepare the Way!

Prayer from the Sacramentary of the Roman Catholic Church for the 2nd Week of Advent.  Let us Pray:

“Father in Heaven, the day draws near when the glory of Your Son will make radiant the night of the waiting world.  May the lure of greed not impede us from the joy which moves the hearts of those who seek Him.  May the darkness not blind us to the vision of wisdom which fills the minds of those who find Him.  We ask this in the name of Jesus the Lord.  Amen.

(Mosaic in Cathedral Lourdes, France – The Visitation of Mary to her cousin Elizabeth, mother of John the Baptist.)

Ask Fr. Leo for fatherly advice.
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