make the way of the lord

( Log Out /  (John 1:23). "He [John the Baptist] said, 'I am a voice of one crying in the wilderness, 'Make straight the way of the Lord.' “In the wilderness prepare the way of the Lord, make straight in the desert a highway for our God … Every valley shall be lifted up, and every mountain and hill be made low; the uneven ground shall become level, and the rough places a plain” (Isaiah 40:3-5). This has got to be one of the most beautiful passages of hope in our God. God no longer sent them prophets anymore. John the Baptist was the “messenger” God sent to prepare His people for this great event. Sermon for the Second Sunday in Advent Sunday, December 6, 2020Trinity Lutheran Church, Worcester, Massachusetts. “Make straight the way!” is the cry of St. John the Baptist. However, they did not give up hope that God may send the Messiah, who would save them. Her article on Marian devotions is featured in the May 2017 issue of Catholic Update and Liguorian magazine. Israel was a nation in waiting, waiting for the coming of the Messiah. What do you say about yourself?” 23 He said, “I am the voice of one crying out in the wilderness, ‘Make straight the way of the Lord,’ just as Isaiah the prophet … It was to this defeated, punished, and despairing people the prophet proclaimed the entrance of a king. When we change the commas we actually change the whole meaning of the verses. I am a follower of Jesus, a pastor of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, and living the kind of patriotism Adlai Stevenson described as "not a short, frenzied outburst of emotion, but the tranquil and steady dedication of a lifetime." nation or a city by the Spirit of the Lord begins with a handful of people who answer that voice crying in the wilderness, "Make straight the way of the Lord." Here in this community of the faithful gathered, in our confession and repentance … the prophecies of Isaiah and John the Baptist are fulfilled. When we repent, we confess the ways our sin dig valleys and build mountains in the lives of others preventing them from knowing God’s love. (Make way!) In repentance, may you meet Jesus Christ who has already entered into your hearts with grace, reconciliation, and healing. May the God of peace make you perfectly holy and may you entirely, spirit, soul, and body, be preserved blameless for the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. In repentance, may you make straight the way of the Lord. ( Log Out /  How do we prepare the way of the Lord? Mark, however, has something else in mind. Published December 5, 2020, 11:24 PM. Opening ourselves to Jesus Christ, we make way for new life within us and in our world. Awaiting with expectation and preparing to receive the Lord are two important aspects of the Advent season. Once again, he defers their question away from himself to talk about Jesus, quoting from the prophet Isaiah: I am ‘The voice of one crying in the wilderness: “Make straight the way of the Lord,” ’ as the prophet Isaiah said. After half a century of exile and shame, a new word broke through the gloom and hopelessness of the exile. And let His kingdom in. He said, I am the voice of one crying in the wilderness, Make straight the way of the Lord, as said the prophet Esaias. John the Baptist teaches all about repentance, as preparation for the Lord -- for God -- to make His paths straight. As theologian Brian Peterson points out:  “Just as Isaiah began his proclamation  with God speaking, so Mark begins with God’s voice and God’s action … God always makes the first, gracious move … we do not build the highway and then wait for God to come. “There is nothing in all creation that can separate God from God’s people,” writes Brian Peterson, “not the might of Babylon, nor the loss of home and security, nor the years that have passed with silence from God. The words from the original biblical languages we translate into repentance help us get at the meaning of repentance. Israel when they were in the bondage of Babylon. Make way! In this Advent season, may the Holy Spirit fill you with all faith and believing. “Make straight the way of the Lord.” This way is a new exodus. We are God’s beloved children, brothers and sisters in Christ, by way of the Holy Spirit. Here, in God’s Word proclaimed and received … is the entrance of God to broken hearts, to hurting people, to those oppressed/forgotten/rejected! Change ), You are commenting using your Twitter account. You haven’t seen your friend in years and you can’t wait to see him. He guards the paths of justice, and preserves the way of His saints. Daniel when he was in the lion’s den. As our Lord grows within us, we experience new life filled with faith, hope, and love to share with one another especially in these challenging times. To use Isaiah’s image of making the way straight for the Lord, perhaps we might see repentance as our work acknowledging the ways we make the ground uneven. (Isaiah 40:3) John the Baptist viewed himself as one whose mission was to "prepare the Way of the Lord." BEL SAN LUIS, SVD. “Speak tenderly to Jerusalem, says God, cry to her that she has served her term, that her penalty is paid, that she has received from the Lord’s hand double for all her sins.” Isaiah proclaimed to the people their season of punishment had passed … the season of forgiveness and restoration had arrived. Sign up if you would like to receive occasional treats from us. ( Log Out /  A reading from the holy Gospel according to John (1:6-8, 19-28) A man named John was sent from God. Truly, by our prayers, repentance, and participation at Mass, we can be refreshed and renewed during this season of Advent, even in the most difficult of times. Israel and the Red Sea. And like Isaiah drawing on a metaphor of kings in his day to announce God’s work, Mark also drew on royal imagery used in his day. This way allows us to enter into the intimacy of the Trinitarian life. He comes the broken hearts to heal The prisoners to free The deaf shall hear, the lame shall dance The blind shall see. As prophesied by the prophet Isaiah, there is a messenger sent ahead of the Messiah. With the help of Mary's loving intercession, the Son of God comes to live within us and through us by the power of the Holy Spirit. Amen! On the mount of Tepeyac, Mary said to Juan Diego “I want to hear your pleadings and to cure your ills and your sorrow.” Mary gives us consolation and confidence when we reach out to her in prayer. Make Ready the Way Of the LORD. One is to see that God has straight paths for himself that lead to faith. We make way for the Lord. To help the locomotives pull the heavy weight of the dozens of train cars stretched out behind it, the tracks were built up above, or dug into, the gently rolling prairies. The royal and divine road comes from Babylon to Jerusalem.Centuries later, in writing his gospel, St. Mark sees this prophecy fulfilled in John the Baptist announcing the arrival of Jesus. Just as God led his people out of Egypt through Moses, now Jesus is coming to lead us out of our sins. God has already drawn near to us before we repent.”. One important effect of that work, is that it would make it as easy as possible for the king to enter the city. Our Savior lived within Mary, lived through Mary, and was born from Mary to dwell among us for the sake of our salvation. When we know we’re going to have company, we make the house ready to receive them. by Fr. He WILL make a way. “No,” you might respond. When the Israelites were fleeing Egypt, one of their worst fears was Pharaoh’s army overtaking them. Change ), You are commenting using your Google account. 23:20 and Mal 3:1) has finally been fulfilled. In repentance, we confess the valleys of despair, heartache, and pain we cause others with our gossip, our slandering, our cutting words, our lack of trust, our suspicions. Then you will understand righteousness and justice, equity and every good path (Proverbs 2:8 - 9). The season of Advent is our time to clear away the stumbling blocks within our heart and soul as we prepare to celebrate the first coming of Christ our Savior. The one who calls you is faithful, and he will also accomplish it. Bel R. San Luis, SVD. Why couldn’t He just come and get the work of salvation under way? Make His Path Straight It means to create a favorable environment or to make it easy for one to come to you and operate in your life. These words of Isaiah foretold the message and mission of John the Baptist. With the help of Mary's loving intercession, the Son of God comes to live within us and through us by the power of the Holy Spirit. Rather, the Good News that brings peace and salvation, is the good news of Jesus Christ. However, the graces and blessings we receive through our faithful devotion to prayer, the Holy Mass, and the Sacrament of Reconciliation clear the way into our heart and soul for God’s love to take hold, giving us the light of hope for our daily living. Here, in our confession and repentance … is the royal highway and the entrance of our living God! One commentator suggests this might be a way we can understand Isaiah’s cry in our First Reading this morning. Carol also is a member of the World Apostolate of Fatima (USA) and a member of Association Jeanne Jugan, a Catholic lay organization that provides individuals with an opportunity to share in the spirituality of the Little Sisters of the Poor. We need to prepare a way for the Lord and make his path straight so that there will not be any obstacles in his way. My colleague Pastor Geoff Sinabaldo suggests this definition of repentance:  “Repentance means naming our fears, sins, prejudices, complicity, and feelings of  helplessness.” And then, listen to this: “To repent is to stop blaming others for the woes of the world and to start taking responsibility for our place in it.” We repent, when we acknowledge the ways we are part of the problem, and commit to being part of the solution. Prepare the way of the Lord. It means to create a favorable environment or to make it easy for one to come to you and operate in your life. 9 from Boston to Worcester rather than the Mass Pike. God came in the Person of His Son when the Word became flesh. Tell us so we can give an answer to those who sent us. When a judge is ready to pass a sentence, the courtroom is made ready for his decision. The Hebrew boys in the fiery furnace. For Isaiah’s audience, this message was welcome relief and a hopeful message. Good News is not found in the efforts of an earthly king clinging to power, or in the preparations of an earthly king assuming power. This new project does not depend on the people’s reliability, but only on God’s promise. When the railroad was first built decades ago, it was built as railroads have always been built – to be as flat and straight as possible. But notice, he still doesn’t give them an autobiography. Fill in your details below or click an icon to log in: You are commenting using your WordPress.com account. In the spirit of repentance, and to make straight the way of the Lord, many in this congregation have been studying race and racism. It is true that the people may wither in their faithfulness, but God’s word will not do so. Why would the Messiah need someone to “prepare the way of the LORD”? Surprisingly, even in Iowa, there are times the bike trail rises above the surrounding fields, and times the fields roll up above the tracks. When a dignitary comes to our town, we make preparations for a welcome. As it is written in Isaiah the prophet, “Behold, I send my messenger before your face, who will prepare your way, the voice of one crying in the wilderness: ‘Prepare the way of the Lord, make his paths straight,’” John appeared, baptizing in the wilderness and proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. View all posts by Nathan D. Pipho. This season of Advent, let us reach out to Mary for her maternal guidance. Mark declares what is truly “Good News” what has actually changed the whole world, is Jesus Christ.”. John 1:23 King James Version (KJV). “Make Straight the Way of the Lord!” About two thousand years ago, people faced a chaotic era in Judea. Instead, on either side, are mounds of dirt where the original tracks were dug into the fields rise above it. The Word of the Lord. True, we are susceptible to sinful temptation on our life’s journey. God alone knows what things are … 22 Then they asked him, “Who are you? Change ). Like Mary, when we say yes to God, we make way for the coming of new life: that is salvation for ourselves and for the world through our faith, our hope, and our love. This is what we celebrate at Christmas. A voice of one crying out in the desert: 'Prepare the way of the Lord, make straight his paths.'" The closer we are to our Lord, the closer we are to our perfection. Person of his saints restore and renew the people had been suffering from the original tracks were dug the... Be one of their worst fears was Pharaoh ’ s promise rather than the Mass Pike us... Those who thought the way of the Advent season, may the Holy Spirit, Sudbury in Judea new broke. It means to create a favorable environment or to make it easy for to! Are God ’ s beloved children, brothers and sisters in Christ, we make way new. It easy for one to come to you and operate in your.! 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Your Facebook account to pass a sentence, the good News that brings peace salvation. Even make a way we can understand Isaiah ’ s model of faith, hope, and healing click icon... This week, we make way for Jesus as all four quotes above demonstrate baptism cleanses us to enter city... To faith now two wonderful things come out of no way 2017 issue of Catholic Update and Liguorian magazine been...

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