Daily Bible Verse 101

Prepare the way of the Lord

“A voice cries out:
In the desert prepare the way of the Lord!
Make straight in the wasteland a highway for our God!” (Isaiah 40: 3)

In the second Sunday of Advent, the Church prays:
“God of power and mercy, open our hearts in welcome. Remove the things that hinder us from receiving Christ with joy, so that we may share his wisdom and become one with him when he comes in glory…”

What are the things that hinder me today from receiving Christ with joy? At one time in my life, I was hindered by the following from receiving Christ with joy:
Family
Job
Money
Health
Tools
Food

Although I still struggle with some of the above points from time to time, understanding and accepting Christ’s point of view on them helped me to surrender them to him. My situation today can be described as knowing the mind of Christ a little more everyday. I am more fully aware of the presence of the Holy Spirit and his activities in my life than before. I fear complacency.

By identifying what hinders me from receiving Christ with joy and having them removed by the Father can I “share Christ’s wisdom and become one with him.” Father, remove the insecurity in me that makes me cling to things. Remove from me all forms of conceit O Father.

When we are wise in Christ, we see how God provides for us in every situation. We see the Father’s loving providence where the world sees lack and want. When the Father removes the elements in our lives that darken us to Christ’s wisdom, we enter into the mind of Christ with regard to creatures. One thing that could darken the mind to Christ’s wisdom is greed. When we are greedy, we seek more than we need. We acquire and accumulate. We become insatiable. We feel insecure.

The theme of the second Sunday in Advent seems to be: “Prepare the way of the Lord.” We prepare by asking for the grace to remove the things that hinder us from receiving Christ with joy.