We are now over halfway through our journey through Advent, and the danger is that we can get so caught up with the thought of '25^th December', that we could miss out on the beauty that these next couple of weeks will bring us. Yes, there is shopping to be done, cards to be sent and gifts to be wrapped, but our Advent is that chance to give something back to the Lord and to each other. If you have a spare moment, please remember the Salesian Family in your own prayers and ask that others may follow in the footsteps of Don Bosco and Mother Mazzarello—we certainly need that generosity. In the Gospel today, once again John the Baptist is front and centre but, as always, he is pointing beyond himself to the person of Jesus. Even in his prison cell, John the Baptist is still searching for the Messiah: when John, who was in prison, heard about the deeds of the Messiah, he sent his disciples to ask him, "Are you the one who is to come, or should we expect someone else?" (Matt 11:2-3). Jesus points to his own actions that bring transformation; echoing the great prophecy of Isaiah, he can proclaim to John's friends, 'Go back and report to John what you hear and see: The blind receive sight, the lame walk, those who have leprosy are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the good news is proclaimed to the poor' (Mat 11:4-5). In the words and actions of Jesus, the reign of God has burst into world history—we are the best for it. We are not here to command, we are not here to win, we are not here to triumph. We are here to love each other--that is our simple task and Jesus shows us the way. If we are going to see as he sees and hear as he hears and do as he does, we are going to have to be one of the 'anawim', because the definition of the anawim is "those who know their need for God." If we look at the lives of all the great saints of our Church, we see humble men and women, who were all too aware of their own imperfections, yet trusted fully in God—even in the hardest of times. We know our need for God: A God who will always be there, for Jesus Christ has come to take up His life and give us His love in every step of the way.

In the Gospel of John, in the great 'Prologue', we see a wonderful piece of poetry that echoes the beauty of Genesis, the first book of the Bible. John presents the Messiah as the LIGHT, 'a light that shines in the dark, a light that darkness could not overpower' (Jn 1: 5). In these dark, cold nights, the Christmas tree lights are a welcome distraction and should point to a deeper reality of faith: the light of Christ will make a difference, the light of Christ will see us through these times of hardship. A global pandemic, together with the threat of a European War and a failing economy, has brought a universal darkness as we have experienced, lockdown, shielding, unemployment, failure, pain and death. However, our experience has also highlighted the light of the NHS, the care and consideration of family and friends and the lengths that some people have gone to keep in touch. Social distancing does not mean we have to be distant; we need not ignore each other or use it as an excuse to erase people from our lives. We need all those people in our lives who can cut through the drama and the problems and give us clear and straight guidance. The Messiah, the one John is preparing the way for, has the power and strength of the Holy Spirit to move us all forward.

As we reflect today, we can think of those we have met who pointed us towards Jesus; I think of my parents and family, I give thanks for those fellow Salesians who have given me an unselfish example of real care for the young. I praise God for the countless young people I have met over the years who have helped me to come closer to God. I am grateful to those families who have accepted me as another hungry guest at their home table; I appreciate those friends who have become part of our extended Salesian family and continue that inspirational mission and outreach to the young. God will come to you in the most unexpected ways this week; unexpected people, young or old, will help you to discover God's will for you. As a Salesian of Don Bosco, I thank those young people who pointed the way—and still do. Be alert this week to see, hear and fully experience the wonder that God is calling you to share.

Today: listen to the voice of the children and young people in your life-- they have a wisdom beyond their years.

This may help you to reflect as you 'Prepare a Way for the Lord':

We can pray, as we light the third candle:

Thanks be to you, my lord, Jesus Christ,

For all the benefits that you have given me;

For all the pains and insults you have borne for me.

O, most merciful redeemer, friend and brother,

May I know you more clearly;

Love you more dearly;

And follow you more nearly day by day.

(St Richard of Chichester)

Author: Fr Gerry O'Shaughnessy SDB

Photo by Jonathan Borba on Unsplash