I am grateful to be with you again [and today,] I have brought some friends with me!
All of us are happy to be here – with you, before Christmas comes…
We are here to talk about “Advent preparation.”
The season of Advent calls upon each and every one of us “to prepare” for the Lord’s coming…
According to John the baptizer, we are to prepare in our “hearts…”
I think by that, John meant – with your entire being. You are not just to prepare your heart for the Lord’s coming…but all of you…every bit of you…every piece of you…
Your heart, your mind, your soul, your strength, everything that makes you – well, YOU!
Prepare “all of you…”
Thoughts, words and deeds…
Advent is “the time” of preparation…we have but, four brief weeks to get ourselves ready. And this is now the Second of Advent…meaning we have two weeks yet to go…
And John the Baptizer is our poster-boy!
“It’s not about me.”
That was “the root” of John’s message.
The baptizer preached about “someone else,” someone who would come after him whose sandal thongs John did not consider himself even worthy to tie.
John wasn’t interested in the limelight.
He wasn’t interested in the praise or admiration of others.
He was interested in “preparing the way for someone else,” and he didn’t let or allow personal ambition get in the way of doing his job well.
The “job of preparation” belongs to each of us.
It is “very personal.”
It is as individual – as each of us…
No one can prepare for you…your preparation is your own!
John suggests that repentance is a good way to begin our preparation…but then, so is prayer.
So is being kind to one another.
So is sharing.
So is personal reflection.
Being “open to God,” in your life is yet another way…being open “to one another” – works too!
The scriptures talk about a change of heart, a change of mind, a change in the way that we treat one another…
Receiving God in the sacrament is yet another way of preparing…
Advent is about preparation, says John the Baptizer.
It is about getting ready.
It is about anticipation…expectation…readiness…..putting things in order…alertness.
Advent reminds us that we each have some work to do.
None of us is exempt.
Advent is for all of us.
The Advent clock is ticking…and all that is asked of us – is to prepare.
Just so you know, by joining us in this time of prayer and worship today, you are preparing…even now.
We are thankful for your presence.
We are thankful for each and every one of you!
And we wish you and yours a very Merry and Blessed Christmas.
As John would bellow out, “This is the time to prepare!”
Amen.
