Making His Path Straight

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We have begun the third week of Advent - a time of preparation, leading up to the great festive celebration of Christ's birth.

Mark, in Chapter 1, verse 3, wrote, "A voice of one that cries in the desert: Prepare a way for the Lord, make his paths straight."

Why was John the Baptist proclaiming this message to the people? It sounds quite abstract at a glance. What does it mean to prepare a way for the Lord? Who is to prepare this way? What way? What paths? Straight?

2000 years after Jesus came to be born, so as to bring us home to our Father in the way of love and justice that He gave us an example of, we, now become the birth places of this same Jesus. Our hearts are His dwelling places. Only if we open the door to our hearts and allow Him to enter. And only if there is any space left in that cluttered hearts and lives of ours for His dwelling. And this is, precisely, what John was speaking about. It is our hearts, our lives... into these, God wills to enter and become significantly present. Into our hearts, Jesus wills to be born anew, so that with Him in our hearts, our lives may be transformed, our priorities may be reshuffled because Jesus's presence and influence purifies our hearts, our intentions, our wills and desires, and we may come to experience the joy and peace of our own transformation into better Christians, more fully alive and living in God's ways.

But just as we may be hopeful that God lets us taste the sweetness of His peace and joy, we have to first ask ourselves if there is any room for Baby Jesus. Is there room in our hearts for Him? Or are our hearts too clogged with bitterness, self-centeredness, unforgiveness? Have we, because of years of hurt and suffering, built a wall around our hearts, preventing anyone from coming close and at the same time, also preventing God to enter with His healing grace? And why would we save any space or make room for Him if He meant insignificantly to us to begin with?

Prepare a way for the Lord. Make straight His paths.
Prepare our hearts to receive Jesus.
Make the path for Him to enter into our hearts and lives straight; without bends or obstacles, humps or road-blocks.

What in our lives and hearts need to be scraped out so as to make a way for Jesus to enter into our hearts again this Christmas?

As the parishes begin their penitential services, we can better prepare for Christmas, to clear the clutter in our hearts, and thereby preparing a place in our hearts for Jesus's birth, by first examining our conscience and making a sincere and thorough confession. Have you blocked out a slot for one of the many penitential services held till next week?

12 December 2011, Monday
12.13pm