Make the Paths straight

 As we meander our way towards Christmas we can find our spirits being diverted by many different things. This is not just about our own personal preparations but also how events in the world can intrude and beset us with many fears, worries, and anxieties. When we turn on the television, read the news on the internet, or listen to the radio we can become besieged by events beyond our control. Whether it is the stories of wars, the climatic changes, the everyday struggles of managing a budget, or seeking a deeper meaning in our daily activities we can search for a way of being present that liberates rather than imprisons us.

In the readings for this weekend, there is a longing for everything to be straightened out so that we can more clearly recognize the voice that brings us Good News. What we seek is a relationship that will sustain us each day and make all things new. I believe that in Advent we make preparations for a renewal of that relationship that is not just lip service but a genuine desire to meet our Lord who will embody our hopes and dreams. This is not a fantasy where all the disturbances will magically fall away from us but rather become solid ground on which we can build a faithful life. It calls us to abandon ourselves to God's love so that we discover how we can love others and ourselves.

One of the Advent practices is to recognize how we can place the focus on ourselves rather than on Jesus Christ. We seek recognition for our own efforts to be good people but discover that we can often be distracted by the way we seek to possess good things and experiences. There is a sense that we can miss the mark and not use the gifts entrusted to us to a good end. Sinfulness at its essence can cause us to become more self-centered even at the moment that we seek to become more charitable. This internal battle needs to be recognized because it cannot be won simply by our own efforts. We are called to trust even this reality to God in reconciliation. This is not therapy or punishment but rather a genuine desire to allow Jesus to guide us in our deepest struggle. When we feel abandoned to handle it all on our own we can tend to dig a pit that only grows larger. However, when we realize we are in the pit Jesus sits down by our side and listens to our story. This is not to judge us or condemn us but rather a lifeline that can embolden our spirit. To discover that we are cherished and that we are worth the effort.

Over this season may we discover a God who beckons us to discover a deeper meaning that will make the paths straight. This is not by ignoring the reality of our own darkness but rather by allowing Jesus to become our homing light. May we follow that light to discover how God walks with us straight when all we see are crooked lines.