Reflect
Today’s Gospel describes John the Baptist like this: “He was not the light, but came to testify to the light.” As true as that was for John, the same holds true for us. We may not be able to match John the Baptist’s zeal or desert wanderer lifestyle, but in our own sometimes quiet, subtle ways, we are called to “make straight the way of the Lord.”
Pray
Lord,
I want to prepare the way
for your humble, holy entrance
into the world.
But I also know
that this is a group effort.
As a member
of the community of Christian faith,
it is my heartfelt desire
to spread the hope of Advent
and the promise of joy
that is Christmas
all around me,
not only to those who share my beliefs.
As I look forward to your birth
with earnest anticipation,
may I “testify to the light”
in myriad ways. Amen.
Act
Though you may not envision yourself as a prophet or evangelizer, you might not realize the ways you are actually spreading the gospel, whether by example or through a kind word to someone you didn’t know needed it. Think—and give thanks—for these understated moments of grace, when you shared God’s light, perhaps without even realizing it.
