READ: Luke 3:1-6

In the fifteenth year of the reign of Tiberius Caesar, when Pontius Pilate was governor of Judea, and Herod was tetrarch of Galilee, and his brother Philip tetrarch of the region of Ituraea and Trachonitis, and Lysanias was tetrarch of Abilene, during the high priesthood of Annas and Caiaphas, the word of God came to John the son of Zechariah in the desert. John went throughout the whole region of the Jordan, proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins, as it is written in the book of the words of the prophet Isaiah:

A voice of one crying out in the desert: “Prepare the way of the Lord, make straight his paths. Every valley shall be filled and every mountain and hill shall be made low. The winding roads shall be made straight, and the rough ways made smooth, and all flesh shall see the salvation of God.”

REFLECT

Let’s be honest, I skipped over all the names at the beginning of this Gospel the first time I read it. I often want to skip over the genealogies in other Scripture readings, too. I get lost in the lists and my eyes just skim over the lines, waiting to get to the narratives that are easier to read.

This time, however, I knew I should slow down. No word in Scripture is wasted ink, but the breath of God poured out. So I asked myself, “Why did St. Luke bother to add all of these names?”

I may never memorize all these historical facts (history was never really my favorite subject), but I don’t necessarily think that’s the point. I believe St. Luke mentioned these names to make one thing very clear: Jesus really became man. Jesus really entered into time and into a human body. For you. For me.

The Word of God Came

In a specific time and place, the Word of God came to John… and he responded with his life.

St. John the Baptist’s mission was never easy. He chose a difficult, traveling lifestyle of eating locusts and honey and wearing uncomfortable clothing. Calling people to recognize their own sins is never easy, nor is it fun. He was persecuted and eventually killed for his faith.

While John the Baptist knew the journey would be difficult, he also believed in the One, true God who promised to save His people. He had faith in God’s promise to send a Messiah.

This complete belief caused him to drop everything, travel and preach. After coming face to face with the love of God, he went out, urging people to repent and turn to God. He recognized that the joys of this world are fleeting and there is something – someone – who is coming after him to establish an eternal Kingdom where joy is real and everlasting.

St. John the Baptist didn’t want to keep that news to himself, so he declared it all over the Jordan region. “Prepare the way of the Lord… all flesh shall see the salvation of God.”

My friends, the Word of God has come to us.  Faith is not just a nice feeling and God is not an abstract concept. Jesus Christ, the Word Incarnate, came into our world. This is cause for hope and peace.  

When the world turns upside down, and we do not feel God’s presence, we can look to the cross. We can encounter Jesus in the Scriptures. We can run to the Eucharist, where we receive the gift of Jesus’ life, which was given the very first Christmas and consummated on the cross. We can have hope in his return. We do not have to depend on our feelings because those names at the beginning of this Gospel remind us that Jesus, as much as He is transcendent God, was also historical man. He truly came, and we profess hope that He will truly come again.

How will we respond? Are we willing to give our lives to Him? Are we trying to prepare the way of the Lord?

RESPOND

This week, I want to challenge you to be like St. John the Baptist and be unafraid to share the Gospel message. While not all of us are called to be traveling missionaries like he was, each of us is called to have a missionary heart.

If you’re like me and sharing the Gospel seems a bit daunting, remember that at the end of the day, we are not trying to transform hearts. We can’t do that. Only Jesus can. But he invites us to participate in that work by living the Gospel and being unafraid to share it. We aren’t transforming hearts by our own merits, but preparing the way for Jesus to move.

Need a little bit more of a boost? Here are some practical tips to consider!

1. Ask for help. First and foremost, pray for the grace to live the Gospel.  Ask your friends or family for their prayers. In order to share the Gospel, we must first allow it to settle into our hearts. As with anything else, this takes patience and practice.
2. Prepare for Mass by reading the Scripture readings ahead of time. Mass is not about good homilies. Mass is the time and place when Jesus Himself comes down to us – first in the Word of God proclaimed and then in the Eucharist.  “Indeed, the word of God is living and effective” (Hebrews 4:12). Allow it to work in your heart by reading the Mass readings ahead of time. It could be as simple as praying through the first reading on Monday, the Psalm on Tuesday, and so on. Then, it won’t matter one bit if the lector stumbles on a few words or if the homily didn’t speak to you. As you read, ask yourself, “How is God asking me to respond?” And make it a goal to live that out in the next week.
3. Make an examination of Conscience. (and go to Confession!). But don’t stop there. If there is a certain sin that comes up every time you examine your conscience, allow God’s grace to enter into your heart and work with Him to consciously make a change. Maybe that looks like finding an accountability partner to call every time you feel a temptation, saying an extra prayer to guard your heart, or fasting from something this week to help you practice self-control.
4. Be brave and talk about it. If you’re anything like me, there are a many moments that slip by because I tell myself, “I can’t talk about this;” “People will think I’m weird or crazy;” or “I am not brave enough.” But most of the time, bravery does not just come to you. It’s like a muscle that needs to be exercised. Ask your friend if you could lead a prayer before your meal. If something really struck you in the Mass readings, bring it up in the car ride home with your family. When people ask you what you’re excited for about Christmas, don’t be afraid to say Jesus. Start small and be brave.

My friends, Jesus has come and will come again. Are we ready for Him? Prepare the way of the Lord. First in your heart, and then in the world.

From my heart to yours,

Samantha