St. John the Baptist told the people who came to him to be baptized in the Jordan River: “Prepare the way of the Lord; make his path straight” (Mt 3:3). Obviously, he knew that Jesus Christ would reveal Himself soon. In fact he would introduce Him by saying, “Behold the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world” (Jn 1:29).
John the Baptist was not talking about the path to mean the way, the road, made of dirt, ground, sand, etc. He meant our way of doing things, our way of living, our way of relating to our fellowmen. Certainly, there are crooked ways of thinking, saying, doing, transacting, relating. These are the ways to be made straight.
Advent season is an acceptable time, for we are awaiting the coming of the Lord on the day that we commemorate His birth, December 25. It is time to cast aside our dishonest, crooked, immoral thinking, saying, doing. It is for our own good, for our own benefit. The good thing we do will redound to our salvation. Leaving behind crooked, winding ways is a sure sign of repentance. And repentance leads to forgiveness; forgiveness to salvation. Advent can be the time of salvation for many. May it be so. Amen.
