1 The beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God. 2 As it is written in Isaiah the prophet: Look, I am sending My messenger ahead of You, who will prepare Your way. 3 A voice of one crying out in the wilderness: “Prepare the way for the Lord; make His paths straight!” 4 John came baptizing in the wilderness and preaching a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. 5 The whole Judean countryside and all the people of Jerusalem were flocking to him, and they were baptized by him in the Jordan River as they confessed their sins. 6 John wore a camel-hair garment with a leather belt around his waist, and ate locusts and wild honey. 7 He was preaching: “Someone more powerful than I will come after me. I am not worthy to stoop down and untie the strap of His sandals. 8 I have baptized you with water, but He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit.” — Mark 1:1-8
Advent is often seen as a time of preparation. We prepare ourselves for the redeeming work of God. Advent is a time we prepare ourselves for lives of purity and holiness, for without holiness, no one shall see the Lord (Hebrews 12:4).
A life of holiness is by no means an easy life. Sometimes called the straight and narrow (Matthew 7:13-14) we know from our experience that our own paths are often filled with detours, bad roads, and snags. We wander from the trodden path of the saints, often wading through swamps of despondence and the brairs and thorns of temptations and sins. When Jesus taught us to be holy as our heavenly Father is holy (Matthew 5:48; see also 1 Peter 1:15-16) he could not have expected it to be easy!
In a strange sense, John the Baptist has become the model Christian for many people. We remember his personal humility. We remember that even the Pharisees showed more admiration for John than they did for Jesus. The Pharisees pointed out that John and his disciples never drank and fasted often; whereas Jesus hung around with the wrong crowd and was accused of being a drunkard and a glutton (Matthew 11:19; Luke 7:34).
Many Protestant Christians have chosen to emulate the life of John the Baptist — choosing lives of abstinence and asecticism. Or, if they haven't chosen that life for themselves, they hold those who do in high regard as being “holy” because of the self-denial.
But we must remember that Jesus chose times of feasting and fasting. There is a time for self-denial and a time for celebration (Mark 2:19-20; Luke 5:34-35).
No, the word “holy” means to be set apart. What made Jesus holy was that he set his life apart for God. That holiness expressed itself in his love and worship of the Father as well as his concern for the lost souls of the world. John's Gospel reminds us that “God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son....” Jesus loves as God loves — that is how we live lives of holiness.
So, this Advent season let us reflect on what it means to be holy and take John's message to heart. That message is simply put: “Prepare the of the Lord!”
Almighty Lord,
help us to prepare ourselves for You.
May we learn to love others with the love You have for us.
May we learn to manifest the holiness of our lives
in the giving of ourselves for others
In the holy Name of Jesus.
Amen.