Prepare the Way

Today is the first of two Sundays of Advent devoted to John the Baptist.  I find myself really frustrated this year by the absence of Mary.  Two weeks of John, every year, and no week that is specifically devoted to Mary.  Yes, it's important to include Joseph, and I'm glad we're doing that, but out of twelve Sundays over three years, Mary appears in only two of them.  John in six.  Our theme is preparing the way, getting ready for God to come in our midst.  I think Mary has a place in that.  Oh well.

So: how do we prepare the way?  Yesterday we had a retreat around the theme of "making space for grace."  At one point I was describing how we can clean our spiritual house, we can name our liabilities or defects and ask God to remove them, but in the end God may have another agenda.  We may find ourselves with the same shortcomings that bother us, while God has removed or transformed something that wasn't on our list!  Our job is to make space for grace, not to engage in self-improvement.

A participant looked at me and said she was just floored by this.  God may not remove the things I want removed?  After I've looked at myself and named this stuff, I have to leave open the possibility that God isn't bothered by what bothers me?  It is mind-blowing.

So today I think about John's call to prepare the way of the Lord.  Make "his" paths straight.  Don't get confused; it's not your own way you're preparing, it's not your own path you're grooming.  You do your part, but in the end it's the Holy One walking this road.  S/he walks it in you, as you, and as all of creation.  But S/he's not the "you" that does the preparing; that ego-self can only go so far.  That's important to remember.

Prepare the way.  Sit and listen.  Respond to what you hear.  Let yourself be led, and let yourself be surprised.  God be with you.