“Whatever was written previously was written for our instruction, that by endurance and by the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope.” Rom 15:4
Long ago, the prophet Isaiah spoke of a time when the world would live in harmony, the whole earth filled with the knowledge of God. Reading that prophecy today, we may wonder when this time would come – or if it perhaps it has come already, in a spiritual sense, with the coming of Christ. Sometimes, the meaning of prophecies can be hard to discern, but as St. Paul says, these words are written to encourage us and give us the endurance to await the coming of the Lord with faith and hope.
In the Gospel reading, the great prophet John the Baptist calls out: "Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand!" He also speaks of the coming of Christ, the One who would baptize with the Holy Spirit and with fire. Soon after this prophecy was spoken, it came true, with the appearance of Jesus, the Lamb of God, in the desert. Yet still we wait, in this time that is sometimes called the “already and not yet,” for the Second Coming of the Lord in glory and the fulfillment of all prophecy.
God sent John to proclaim the coming of the Lord, while He Himself prepared the way, creating a sinless Virgin to bear His Only Begotten Son. Our Lord, who came to us by this obscure way, as a little child, still speaks to us through the most unlikely people. In recent times, He has sent His own Mother to speak to innocent shepherd children in Fatima; an asthmatic girl in France; an Aztec convert in Mexico – always bringing messages to encourage us to prepare for His return.
In this season of Advent, as we celebrate the gift of our Blessed Mother with the Feasts of the Immaculate Conception and Our Lady of Guadalupe, two titles that honor Our Lady’s appearances to God’s children, let us listen for His voice. Jesus calls to us, warning and encouraging us in the prophecies of Scripture and in the promises given to the Church even now. The time is near. Be ready!
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