As part of our Advent prayer and preparations for the Incarnation, why not take a bit of time to reflect with your class on the Gospel?

A famous Jesuit Priest and gifted preacher recently commented, “Sin had poisoned politics, economics, law and everyday social interactions. I wonder where you think he is referring too. Is it Trump’s America which is quite dysfunctional, or is he referring to France where protestors have poured onto the streets causing huge damage these past weeks. Is he speaking of the UK which as we know is in such turmoil these days, or it could be Italy or Greece or almost any modern day nation. But it isn’t, in fact his words are referring to the world of John the Baptist and of Jesus for theirs too was a place of chaos and pain. The lives of ordinary people  were flooded with profound anxiety and in so many ways they were no different to us. Just as we know there is something wrong, so did they but no one could figure it out then any more than now.

A strong voice in the face of such brokenness firstly affirmed that God was at work in the world. Then, that voice, the voice of John the Baptist insisted that each individual needed to prepare for the Saviour’s appearance. For that to happen each person had to purge themselves of personal sin and corruption. That is the meaning of Isaiah’s passage,

Prepare a way, make your paths straight, fill in the gaping valleys so that all can see God.

If we are short of one thing today it is surely strong leadership. If we cannot look to the men and women of our own time we can certainly look back and listen to the leaders of the past . Among them no voice is more pertinent than that of John’s who reminds us that regardless of what is going for us or around us God continues to be faithful to us and invites us to remain faithful to him