Prepare our Hearts for Jesus

12-05-2021Weekly ReflectionFr. Arul Doss

Dear people of God,

God morning to you all. Advent is a one of the liturgical seasons that precedes and prepares for Christmas. It is a season of hope and of longing, of joyful expectation and of peaceful preparation. In this season, we are preparing our hearts for Jesus at Christmas.

All the readings of this second week of Advent are wake up calls for us to prepare to receive the Lord our Jesus. While our first reading announces that God is ready to display the splendor of the Messiah to all nations, the second reading reminds us of “The Lord’s Day.”

In the Gospel reading of today, we see the figure of St. John the Baptist – the one who prepares the way for the Lord. St. John the Baptist pointed people to Jesus, called for their repentance, and baptized them. He was constantly looking toward the One Who was to come, which meant sharing this message with others. St. John didn’t force anyone to seek the Lord, just as God Himself never forces us to seek Him. God wants people to come to Him freely, which is why He never coerces us. Instead, He invites us to seek Him. Ultimately, the choice is ours. Every day of our lives, the Lord gives us invitations to seek Him. Through the beauty of nature and the love of family, He beckons us. Our architecture, artwork, sacred music, chants, and the words of the liturgy themselves point to something beyond the ordinary and call us closer to the One for Whom our hearts are longing. Are we listening to the God’s voice?

He calls us and then patiently waits for our reply. Once we answer His call, like St. John the Baptist, we can then share the message with others. In our words and our actions, people can hear and see how God lives within us – and transforms us – most especially with His Eucharistic Presence. We can be a light for others in this dark world as we share the Gospel with others.
May God bless you and may you, like St. John the Baptist, be a beacon of light to the world.

Have a Happy and Blessed Sunday!

Yours in Christ,
Fr. Doss

BACK TO LIST