December 9, 2018

Gospel: Lk 3:1-6
It was the fifteenth year of the rule of the Emperor Tiberius: Pontius Pilate was governor of Judea; Herod ruled over Galilee, his brother Philip ruled over the country of Iturea and Trachonitis; and Lysanias ruled over Abilene. Annas and Caiaphas were the High Priests at the time when the word of God came to John, the son of Zechariah, in the desert. John proclaimed a baptism for repentant people to obtain forgiveness of sins; and he went through the whole country bordering the Jordan River. It was just as is written in the book of the prophet Isaiah: Listen to this voice crying out in the desert, ‘Prepare the way of the Lord, make his path straight! The valleys will be filled and the mountains and hills made low. Everything crooked will be made straight and the rough paths smooth; and every human being will see the salvation of God!‘

Lectio Divina
Read: Baruch prophesizes the return of God‘s people to a day of glory and honor, thanks to the hand of God. God who initiates the good work in every soul will bring it to completion, unless of course, we block his path by our unwillingness to collaborate with God.
Reflect: Every human being will see the salvation of God, we are told. But will every human being choose the same? What good is receiving a gift if the recipient refuses to use it? The old adage of ”you can take the horse to the water, but you cannot make it drink” is worth recalling. It is one thing for God to offer us his salvation, but the onus is on us to prepare ourselves to receive the same and profit from it. John‘s invitation to people is not to miss the amazing advent of God‘s salvation, but to prepare themselves assiduously to receive the same with maximal effect.
Pray: Ask God for the gift of true repentance.
Act: Do the sacrament of reconciliation this week.

© Copyright Bible Diary 2018