As we journey on in our Advent time together, we can start to see prophecies coming more into focus. In our first reading from Isaiah he sees that the Messiah will arise from the root of Jesse. Now Jesse was King David’s father. So we know that the Messiah will
come from the Davidic line. Simply the fact that this line of succession continued all the way to the birth of our Lord is an incredible miracle in itself. In the weeks to come more prophecies will come into focus. Imagine a camera zooming in on a specific person. At first it is all out of focus and blurry. Maybe a few shapes are seen. Then as the focus is adjusted the image becomes clearer. So it is with prophecy. Just wait, the image will be coming into focus very soon! In our second reading, St. Paul tells the Romans to have hope, to look to the scriptures and find hope and solace. Our Sacred Scriptures are not like other literary works. They are a library, just like a library you might visit. There are poetry sections, history sections, music and wise sayings. There is philosophy and self help sections, prophecy and mystical writings as well, and much, much more. All contained in a book we call the Holy Bible. I invite you to take it down off the shelf, blow the dust off, and pick a section to visit and enter in…In our gospel, John the Baptist is telling us to prepare the way of the Lord. In his day he was baptizing unto repentance and preparation for the Messiah. It was not a Sacramental baptism which confers forgiveness and the regenerating graces of justifying faith, and freeing us from the stain of original sin. He wanted people to be ready…So, this week let us prepare ourselves by meditating on prophecies coming true. Let us enter into Sacred Scripture in a new way, and let us prepare our hearts and listen to the voice crying in the wilderness…The wilderness of your soul…Something to think on…May God richly bless you always…