Happy Second Sunday of Advent!

Today’s Gospel; Mark 1:1-8

“Make straight the paths of the Lord”

Today the Prophet, Isaiah, sends his message to the people; Behold, I am sending my messenger ahead of you; he will prepare your way. A voice on one crying out in the desert: “Prepare the way of the Lord, make straight his paths.”

This morning while preparing to attend 11am mass, I received a text asking if I was available to serve today’s liturgy, as a Deacon. My first response was Yes, then I explained I didn’t have the right color (violet) dalmatic. The Deacon that invited me to mass offered his violet dalmatic for me to use. So off to mass Lori and I went. I hadn’t prepared to serve by means of reading in advance the Gospel of the day, prayers of the faithful and just getting my mindset on serving. Once I was at Church, I read the Gospel to myself before mass, read the prayers of the faithful and started preparing to serve as a Deacon. While vesting my Alb, the zipper in my collar broke. I then borrowed an Alb from the Deacon vestments in the sacristy. This is when I reminded myself to get my prayer life in order, at this very moment. It wasn’t because things were not happening as I expected, it was asking God to help me look past the meaningless failures of the day and that in His gracious goodness, He will continue to provide.

Today’s Gospel let’s us know that John the Baptist would be coming to the people of the whole Judean countryside to baptize the faithful with water and that one mightier than he is coming to baptize with the Holy Spirit. We have been baptized with the Holy Spirit and God, Emmanuel, is with us.

At this time of Advent, we are preparing ourselves for the birth of Jesus, our Savior and to look beyond our own weaknesses that this world reminds us of each day. Whatever it may be that keeps us at a distance from our Lord, whatever burden we choose to carry, at this exact time, we are called to drop the burden and to make straight our paths to the Lord.

I pray for each of you that this second week of Advent brings you many blessings and peace, Amen.

I pray for each of us to look beyond our shortcomings and to reach out to the Lord for guidance, wisdom, intentions, fellowship and Love.

Amen

And I pray that we are always attentive, ready and conscience to “Make straight the paths of the Lord”.

Amen

Peace, Deacon Armando