Third Sunday of Advent
December 11th, 2011
A Highway for God

As you know from your travels, that when you leave Okeechobee City and travel east towards Fort Pierce, a major road construction project is slowly taking place. I  did not know this , but I was informed recently that a number of different contractors are responsible for different sections of this new highway. .Each contractor will have an effect, good or poor on the next contractor. Right  now during construction , the highway is not very invitational to travel, because you have to adapt to the construction situation and schedule.

One of the key figures that comes on the scene during Advent is John the Baptist .Last Sunday we read  from the prophet Isaiah:” A Voice cries out :in the desert prepare the way of the Lord. Make straight in the wasteland a highway for our God” That line bears  repetition :  “ make straight in the wasteland a highway for our God”. We hear the same line in today’s gospel from John 1:” I am the voice of one crying out in the desert ,make straight the way of the Lord” What kind of highway are you and I building for the Lord? Just as you have many people, architects, road engineers, signage folks, landscaping, drainage etc.Then you have all those folks who are qualified to  put all the blueprints into reality, and make the highway that is safe and invitational to drive on.

So too, we need many people, all people, with different talents, gifts, expertise in order to build a “highway for our God”, as Advent calls us all to do. Unfortunately, for too long lay people were told basically, to’ pray, pay and obey,’ and so consequently, that philosophy, though no longer stated ,lingers  behaviorally  in some folks. From the Second Vatican Council, the  Decree on  the Apostolate of the laity we read the following:” THE LAITY MUST TAKE UP THE RENEWAL OF THE TEMPORAL ORDER AS THEIR OWN SPECIAL OBLIGATION. Led by the light of  the Gospel and the mind of the church and motivated by Christian charity, they must act directly and in a definite way in the temporal sphere. As citizens they must cooperate with other citizens with their own particular skill and on their own responsibility ..Everywhere and in all things they must seek the justice of God’s kingdom” “The laity derive the right and duty to the apostolate from their union with Christ the head . .. through Baptism and strengthened by the power of the Holy Spirit through Confirmation, they are assigned to the apostolate by the Lord Himself”.

So we read in the first reading from Isaiah 61: "The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because the Lord has anointed me; he has sent me to bring glad tidings to the poor, to heal the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives and release to prisoners, to announce a year of favor from the Lord, and a day of vindication by our God.” So taking this incredible mandate to heart, we see all of life in a new light .And hence Paul in the second reading  says: "Brothers and Sisters: Rejoice always, pray with out ceasing. In  all circumstances give thanks, for this   is the will of God for you in Christ Jesus. Do not quench the Spirit." AMEN