Gospel Acclamation: Second Sunday of Advent

Prepare the way of the Lord, make straight His paths: all flesh shall see the salvation of God.

In today's Gospel, we hear about John the Baptist and his proclamation of Isaiah's prophetic message. John and Isaiah both call us to prepare the way of the Lord and make straight His paths. But how do we do this?

First, we pray. This does not mean just mumbling a few prayers now and then but really opening the heart and mind to God and connecting with Him. Prayer is about intimacy with God. It is, as we read in the Catechism, “the raising of one's mind and heart to God or the requesting of good things from God” (#2559). It is, as St. Thérèse of Lisieux so beautifully remarked, “a surge of the heart; it is a simple look turned toward heaven, it is a cry of recognition and of love, embracing both trial and joy.” In prayer, we make straight the path of God right into our lives and minds and hearts and souls.

Second, we receive the sacraments. We go to Confession and lay down our sins before God with contrite hearts. We receive the Eucharist with devotion, greeting our Lord with joy when He comes to us and allowing Him to burn away our venial sins in the fire of His love and strengthen us against mortal sins.

Third, we read and study the Scriptures. We listen closely to what God has to say to us in His Word, and then we make that message our own, embracing it, meditating on it, and putting it into practice.

Fourth, we do penance. We deny ourselves some things that are good so that we are ready to accept things that are better. The things of this world, even when they are good, can become a distraction. They can draw our minds and hearts away from God. So we deliberately set them aside so that we can focus on God first and foremost and then enjoy everything else in proper order and with gratitude.

Thus, we can prepare the way of the Lord and make straight His paths so that we can be ready to greet Him at Christmas, to embrace the salvation He brings, and one day, to joyously see Him face-to-face in Heaven.