The Preparation of the Way

December 23, Friday, 4th Week of Advent
Daily Readings: Malachi 3:1-4, 23-24; Gospel: Luke 1:57-66

The first reading speaks of the Lord preparing the way for his coming and his great mission of refining and purifying the sons of Levi. The gospel for the day, on the other hand, speaks of Elizabeth giving birth to his son, John.

God blesses the couple with such mercy that they are blessed with a child even in Elizabeth's old age. A true blessing is one that is given to a faithful servant of God. As they wait for the birth of their child, they don't waste time on the preparation of the name. 

People become excited about the impending birth of a child, and usually, couples prepare a name ahead of time. A name that might be significant in the family tree, a name coming from a combination of the names of the parents, or even a name after some significant events

Even though Zachariah was put into silence for the entire months of his wife's pregnancy, he totally gives consent to naming their child "John,”  even though the relatives opposed it since there is no such name in the family.

If we try to connect the first reading, the messenger that God is sending to prepare the way is in the person of John, who later prepared the way for the coming of the Lord Jesus.

So how do we prepare if we know that the guest is coming, especially if this person is an important one? We prepare the room for accommodation, we prepare the delicious food, we prepare the itinerary, and we even organize a welcome party for that person. In the case of John, he was the prophet who was sent ahead by God to prepare the way for the coming of the Lord. As he announces its coming, he encourages people to repent of their sinfulness.

Lord, help us to have a meaningful preparation for the coming of the Savior. Keep our bodies healthy, make us psychologically and emotionally stable, and most of all, make us spiritually ready for the coming of the Lord.