LISTEN TO THE VOICE CRYING OUT:

PREPARE THE WAY OF THE LORD: COME DECEMBER 13!

Once again we have entered the ADVENT Season: awaiting the First COMING OF CHRIST. Once again we can hear the VOICE of JOHN THE BAPTIST shouting in our ears:

"PREPARE THE WAY OF THE LORD,
make straight his paths.
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,
AND ALL FLESH SHALL SEE THE SALVATION OF GOD."

Can you hear the voice of John the Baptist? Are your ears open to the Word of God? Or are you DISTRACTED by all the demands of a "busy time" shopping for presents, planning parties, writing postcards, etc. The beautiful words of John the Baptist are fulfilling the prophecy announced by ISAIAH: John the Baptist is THAT VOICE OF ONE CRYING OUT IN THE DESERT and preparing the Way of the MESSIAH: the COMING OF OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST! John the Baptist is the last prophet. DO YOU LISTEN TO HIS VOICE? Do you also hear GOD, our FATHER IN HEAVEN, shouting to you:

"IF TODAY YOU HEAR HIS VOICE, HARDEN NOT YOUR HEARTS!"

Can you try to repeat THE WORDS OF ST JOHN THE BAPTIST and let them sink into your hearts? You can repeat them like a mantra every morning when you get out of bed this Advent. Maybe repeat the single line that touches your heart the most. The easiest one to repeat like a mantra might simply be: "PREPARE THE WAY OF THE LORD! PREPARE THE WAY OF THE LORD! PREPARE THE WAY OF THE LORD". Think what those words of God mean for you THAT VERY DAY. WHAT are the BARRIERS, the MOUNTAINS, AND HILLS that prevent you to PREPARE YOUR HEART to welcome Jesus on HIS FIRST COMING at CHRISTMAS! It may be that you have not yet forgiven someone who has hurt you badly, maybe years ago, but the wounds in your heart have not yet healed. It may be that your PRIDE, your big EGO, your ANGER, your ENVY, your FEAR OF DEATH, or any major attachment to this world (money, pleasure, prestige). These are the mountains and hills that need to be made much lower so that your heart may be open to listening to the Word of God.

Is your heart currently at peace? Or it is filled with worries, anxieties? Are you anxious about challenges in your own family: illnesses, loneliness, financial difficulties, addictions, unending arguments, lack of respect, hopelessness, depression? Or, are you HOPEFUL, knowing that God will provide, that God will never abandon you, that He is already with you. ADVENT is a TIME OF PREPARATION. We are awaiting in HOPE the COMING OF CHRIST, HIS FIRST COMING on earth: CHRISTMAS! We already lit the first candle of the Advent Wreath: HOPE. Only three more candles, only three more weeks before Christmas. From HOPE, we are moving to PEACE this week!

St Bernard of Clairvaux reflecting on the first and second comings of the Lord (Christmas and end of time) suggests A THIRD COMING, one invisible, that occurs for those WHO SEE THE LORD WITHIN THEIR OWN SELVES AND THEY ARE SAVED! St Bernard quotes the Lord saying "If anyone loves me he will KEEP MY WORD and my Father will love him and we will come to him. " He goes on saying: " We should keep the Word of God in our hearts. Let it enter into your own being, let it take possession of your DESIRES and your whole way of life".

While on earth, we may not be able to achieve such continuous intimate union with God, that St Bernard talks about. But we certainly HOPE to achieve it at special moments in our Christian life. Certainly, the Sacraments of RECONCILIATION AND THE EUCHARIST can bring us that Opportunity if we are WELL PREPARED! Those holy moments will give us HOPE that one day we will be totally in union with God forever and ever in Heaven!

BE ALERT, BE PREPARED THIS ADVENT SEASON. Prepare your HEARTS for receiving Jesus at Christmas: COME TO OUR ADVENT PENANCE SERVICE 7 PM MONDAY DECEMBER 13!!! FIND PEACE!!! TEN PRIESTS WILL BE WAITING FOR YOU!!!

Find the PEACE of being reconciled with GOD. Find the JOY of having the weight of your sins taken off your shoulders, FIND the JOY of knowing that GOD IS FORGIVING YOU and HE is giving you the GRACE of FORGIVING those who have hurt you. To para- phrase St Augustine, our hearts will remain restless unless they REST IN YOU JESUS! COME and RECONCILE with JESUS. HE WILL GIVE YOU PEACE!

Let us pray:

"Come, let us worship the LORD, the KING who is to come!

If today you listen to HIS VOICE, harden not your hearts!
Prepare the Way for His Coming into your heart!” 
COME AND RECONCILE WITH HIM!
BE WELL PREPARED TO RECEIVE HIM IN THE EUCHARIST!

One in Christ,

Fr. Alain