God calls us to see our lives as part of a grand divine drama. As the Word became flesh, God enters the story of our lives that he would bring us to himself and make us children of God.

Tonight, we bend the knee and bow our heads before the full majesty of a reality that no one in the imperial courts of Rome could have ever imagined… a light shining in the darkness, in those out of the way and perhaps hidden places of powerlessness in our lives like Bethlehem, some space in your life you are ready to let die, so there Jesus may be born instead.

God gave Mary the most intimidating task of all time: to bear his One and only Son. The emotional burden on Mary seems unreal. But look at the amazing support her gave her. Her cousin Elizabeth also had a miraculous pregnancy, and she too God was moving to make all things new. And Joseph too had an angelic visit. Mary was never alone and neither are you because, like Mary, watches over you.

In our very creation, our origins, and formation in the womb, God has endowed us with the capacity to discern his saving love, his redeeming power. God gives us the Spirit to do so.

Those with the fruit of compassion show themselves to be children of God. In his immortal words from the cross, Jesus said, “Father, forgive them for they do not know what they are doing.” If Jesus can be the God of all compassion during crucifixion, then cannot we show compassion in our lives? The good news for us is that when Jesus returns, he will be our compassionate judge.

John guides our feet toward Christ on the path of repentance. We can rejoice because this good news is for all people, whether you are comfortable and need of inspiration, or you are downtrodden by the circumstances of this life – the way of peace has come for you.

The Lord is coming! How can we prepare for his arrival? The prophet Isaiah tells us that our lives need to be leveled and straightened to make them like a great highway. For the Lord to travel straight into our hearts, the call is to repentance.

We need self-examination. But we need more than that too. We need more than John the Baptist as he himself tells us. We need something else, something more, something different entirely. For only God can raise up valleys and move mountains. But how does God do it? That is the event we are being prepared once more to watch for, once more to receive.

Advent reminds us that Jesus will return one day to be your judge, and believe me, you want him to be your judge. There is no one else in all the universe who has more mercy, forgiveness, and love than he has.