P S A L M - Psalm 126:1-2, 2-3, 4-5, 6
R: The Lord has done great things for us; we are filled with joy.
1 When the Lord brought back the captives of Zion, we were like men dreaming. 2 Then our mouth was filled with laughter, and our tongue with rejoicing. (R) Then they said among the nations, “The Lord has done great things for them.” 3 The Lord has done great things for us; we are glad indeed. (R) 4Restore our fortunes, O Lord, like the torrents in the southern desert. 5 Those who sow in tears shall reap rejoicing. (R) 6 Although they go forth weeping, carrying the seed to be sown, they shall come back rejoicing, carrying their sheaves. (R)
2ND READING - Philippians 1:4-6, 8-11
GOSPEL ACCLAMATION
Prepare the way of the Lord, make straight his paths: all flesh shall see the salvation of God.
Luke 3:1-6
1 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, 2 during the high priesthood of Annas and Caiaphas, the word of God came to John the son of Zechariah in the desert. 3 John went throughout the whole region of the Jordan, proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins, 4 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. 5 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, 6 and all flesh shall see the salvation of God.”
| SABBATH | ||
PREPARE THE WAY FOR THE LORD
When I read this text it always sends a bit of a shiver down my spine as I realize that the role of preparing the way for the Lord is mine as well as John the Baptist’s. Each one of us is called to do our bit in preparing the way for the Lord to come a second time. John the Baptist has done it for the first arrival of Jesus and now it is our turn to prepare for the time when He will come to judge the world.
The funny thing is that the work of John the Baptist as he describes it is pretty much the same as what we are called to do. John was literally preparing for the arrival of the Incarnate Son of God; we are called to prepare the way for the Gospel to be proclaimed to the hearts of all men and women. The gift of salvation came in the person of Jesus and it continues to be born into the world in the form of the Gospel through the lives of the disciples of Jesus — you and me.
Sometimes it is good to look at the words of the Scriptures literally. Perhaps they will speak to us of specific situations in our lives. Let each of us reflect upon the ideas of “making straight paths; making rough ways smooth and crooked ones straight.” How do these ideas impact us and apply to our lives? This is the question that really has to be answered for our own salvation to be complete. Our participation in the work of Jesus – in the work of the Gospel – is an essential component of our faith. Each of us has to take the time to reflect upon our lives and examine how we are called to participate in the Church’s vocation of bringing the Gospel to the ends of the earth.
John’s is a voice crying in the wilderness. There will be plenty of times when this is what it will feel like to us – no one listening and a seeming waste of time. However, that is not our problem. It is up to God to make our voices of truth heard by others. It is His grace that will prepare peoples’ hearts for the Gospel. Fr. Steve Tynan, MGL
REFLECTION QUESTION: Are you doing all that you can to help proclaim the Good News of salvation to the world?
Holy Spirit, increase my zeal for the Gospel so that I will more faithfully live and proclaim its truth to everyone I meet.
St. Juan Diego, pray for us.
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