First Saturday of Advent
Gospel: Mt 9:35—10:1, 5a, 6-8
One of the familiar Advent messages tells us to prepare the way of the Lord. What if we really took this to heart and soul in the moments of our lives? What if we truly made a path of preparing the Lord's way no matter where it led us?
I think even Jesus did this! In Matthew's gospel (chapter 9: 35), Jesus takes "a tour." Perhaps, in our time, we might call him a tourist. Isn't life a tour? We have heard of the journey of life. Think of the places (not just geographical, but emotional, physical..), it has taken you thus far. Think of the people that are brought your way. To be a tourist can free us, at times. Just moving from one place to another can help us know that not all live the same, think the same, endure the same. We can allow it to open us to the connectedness that we have not only with people, but with animals, with all parts of creation. We can realize our responsibility to take care of it all...or the opposite can happen. People can assume that they hold the power and control of it. It is such that we have the option of being either abusive or compassionate in our relatedness.
I read also that Jesus "summoned." What a wonderful word. Jesus called not only the people then, but the people now to bring forth justice and mercy. Curing involves giving of ourselves in all types of way. Illnesses are not only of the body and mind, but of attitudes. Some of us think that the control of everything is with us. We think we are the path rather than taking that which Advent calls us to...the way of the Lord.
Do you have a tee shirt that lists a particular tour of a group? What if it had your path, one that leads to the way of the Lord? What places, happenings, would you want to list? Yes, our tour includes our experiences, our happenings, our perspectives. All of these come from others, from creation. What do we want to offer to that path? Or do we want to offer?
You can learn a lot about yourself, creation, others from your journey. You can reframe what you think is not conducive to humankind or any part of creation. We are all a part of each other. We are a part of creation. Do we build up or destroy?
Are you familiar with the story of Pinocchio? His fate was a visible sign of what happens with consistent untruths. There is a growing obstruction. In Pinocchio's tale, it was his nose. We may not see noses lengthening, but certainly other things now: distrust, resentment, hatred, violence. Are any of these on path to the way of the Lord? In this age of what one might see as bliss, we dismiss child sexual exploitation (or any kind, of sexual trafficking, for that matter), anyone who looks differently, wants more open discussions, or encounters and dialogues. Encounter and dialogue is that which opens up the path of the Lord even more.
Let's take the familiar Advent message and scriptures we hear this Advent to heart in our daily lives, our daily moments. If ever we needed to, now is the time! It is a call to reform by our open-mindedness and open heartedness in our reception of others...no matter who, no matter what piece of creation comes our way on the path. How can we see others so differently than ourselves? We are interconnected. What you are, I am. Let's prepare the way of the Lord!
MaryAnn Louison is an associate of the Sisters of St. Joseph of Carondelet.
