Each week, Bishop Edward Malesic writes a Scripture reflection for the faithful. Follow the bishop on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
Click HERE for the readings.
One of the consequences of being able to take pictures so easily with digital cameras and smartphones is the number of pictures that we can keep. I now have almost 20,000 pictures that I have taken and are now stored on the so-called “cloud”.
Among those many picture, I have my favorites.
The picture that I posted with this reflection is one of them. It shows the finger of John the Baptist. Everything else about him is a bit blurred out. Remember, John the Baptist would say somewhere else that he had to decrease so that Jesus could increase (see John 3:30). His finger is pointing upwards as the rest of him fades away. Like his message, the Baptist's finger in the picture serves to point us to Jesus.
On this Second Sunday of Advent there are plenty of excuses to be unfocused on what matters. We have cards to send, gifts to wrap, cookies to bake, concerts to attend (if only virtually), etc.
But John the Baptist is a stark and dramatic reminder that whether we are ready or not, Jesus will come to us. Let’s be ready or in biblical language, “Prepare the way of the Lord. Make straight his paths.”
How do we do that? We do what the people who came to John the Baptist did. We listen to God’s Word, we repent of our sins, and we accept God's forgiveness.
Then we are ready to receive him when he comes with hearts made pure and minds made clear.
Salvation is coming to us in Christ Jesus, Our Lord. This is Good News indeed.
Happy Advent and a blessed week everyone.