R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Prepare the way of the Lord, make straight his paths:
all flesh shall see the salvation of God.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.

In the fifteenth year of the reign of Tiberius Caesar,
when Pontius Pilate was governor of Judea,
and Herod was tetrarch of Galilee,
and his brother Philip tetrarch of the region
of Ituraea and Trachonitis,
and Lysanias was tetrarch of Abilene,
during the high priesthood of Annas and Caiaphas,
the word of God came to John the son of Zechariah in the desert.
John went throughout the whole region of the Jordan,
proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins,
as it is written in the book of the words of the prophet Isaiah:
A voice of one crying out in the desert:
“Prepare the way of the Lord,
make straight his paths.
Every valley shall be filled
and every mountain and hill shall be made low.
The winding roads shall be made straight,
and the rough ways made smooth,
and all flesh shall see the salvation of God.”

Thirty years ago, on the topic of statues, I said on this Second Sunday of Advent, that the church of Our Lady of Mount Carmel could use a statue of Saint John the Baptist to accent our Baptismal Fount. By the end of the week, I received in the mail a statue from Spain of Saint John the Baptist. It is compelling in its image of who he was – the greatest of all the prophets before Jesus, the Savior of the World. The statue is a detailed representation of Saint John as a voice crying out in the wilderness for the need to be prepared. He was himself a man, by blood the first cousin of Jesus, and he delivered his message thusly:

“Prepare the Way of the Lord. Make straight the road! Fill the dark valley of sin. Flatten the mountain of vices. Prepare, seriously, the Way of the Lord.”

Yesterday, we remembered Pearl Harbor, when the horrible bombing raids took place, destroying the harbor and burying thousands of soldiers in the waters below. The United States was not prepared for the enemy. After the bombings, military experts said they had heard rumors about the enemy’s plans, but we were unprepared.

I think that the cry of Saint John the Baptist – be prepared for the coming of the Lord – should not be taken superficially, but rather, seriously, for the sake of the salvation of our souls.

The Advent Season is a season of hope; it pairs well with Pope Francis, who declares our new year, 2025, to be a special Jubilee Year of Hope for the one-billion-plus Catholics of the world. He starts out his document in this way: “Hope does not disappoint!” Let’s pause about that … Hope does not disappoint. Listening to the way people talk, many do feel that life is filled with disappointments, one right after another. One right after another. One right after another … on and on.

And perhaps many do lose hope in our world today. But I like the fact that our pope is exhorting Catholic people, instead, never to lose hope even amidst a troubled world. We should remind ourselves daily, especially in the Advent Season, that Christ is the Hope of the world, and the Hope of the souls of each one of us.

I find that people can become bitter. They can become negative and grouchy. They can even become hostile about life. And none of these attitudes reflect the virtue of hope. Therefore, I think we must examine our conscience and straighten out whatever crooked paths we have been walking along – the crooked paths of grudges, hatred, pushing aside God along the road, deep-seated resentments, persistent fault-finding, unwillingness to forgive, mountains of pride and narcissism, self-absorption, dishonesty, and impure lifestyle. What we need is repentance and a change.

Listen to the warning sign of the great John the Baptist. And in this busy time before Christmas, stop, look, and listen. Take advantage of the sacrament of Reconciliation. Clean up the act. And prepare the Way of the Lord.

Monsignor Michael J. Cariglio, Jr., Pastor & Rector, Basilica of Our Lady of Mount Carmel – Saint Anthony Parish

Jerusalem, take off your robe of mourning and misery;
put on the splendor of glory from God forever:
wrapped in the cloak of justice from God,
bear on your head the mitre
that displays the glory of the eternal name.
For God will show all the earth your splendor:
you will be named by God forever
the peace of justice, the glory of God’s worship.

Up, Jerusalem! stand upon the heights;
look to the east and see your children
gathered from the east and the west
at the word of the Holy One,
rejoicing that they are remembered by God.
Led away on foot by their enemies they left you:
but God will bring them back to you
borne aloft in glory as on royal thrones.
For God has commanded
that every lofty mountain be made low,
and that the age-old depths and gorges
be filled to level ground,
that Israel may advance secure in the glory of God.
The forests and every fragrant kind of tree
have overshadowed Israel at God’s command;
for God is leading Israel in joy
by the light of his glory,
with his mercy and justice for company.

R. (3)  The Lord has done great things for us; we are filled with joy.
When the LORD brought back the captives of Zion,
we were like men dreaming.
Then our mouth was filled with laughter,
and our tongue with rejoicing.
R. The Lord has done great things for us; we are filled with joy.
Then they said among the nations,
“The LORD has done great things for them.”
The LORD has done great things for us;
we are glad indeed.
R. The Lord has done great things for us; we are filled with joy.
Restore our fortunes, O LORD,
like the torrents in the southern desert.
Those who sow in tears
shall reap rejoicing.
R. The Lord has done great things for us; we are filled with joy.
Although they go forth weeping,
carrying the seed to be sown,
They shall come back rejoicing,
carrying their sheaves.
R. The Lord has done great things for us; we are filled with joy.

Brothers and sisters:
I pray always with joy in my every prayer for all of you,
because of your partnership for the gospel
from the first day until now.
I am confident of this,
that the one who began a good work in you
will continue to complete it
until the day of Christ Jesus.
God is my witness,
how I long for all of you with the affection of Christ Jesus.
And this is my prayer:
that your love may increase ever more and more
in knowledge and every kind of perception,
to discern what is of value,
so that you may be pure and blameless for the day of Christ,
filled with the fruit of righteousness
that comes through Jesus Christ
for the glory and praise of God.

It has long been a Catholic understanding that when circumstances prevent one from receiving Holy Communion, it is possible to make an Act of Spiritual Communion, which is a source of grace. Spiritual Communion is an ardent desire to receive Jesus in the Most Holy Sacrament and lovingly embrace him at a time or in circumstances when one cannot receive Him in sacramental Communion. The most common reason for making an Act of Spiritual Communion is when a person cannot attend Mass. Acts of Spiritual Communion increase our desire to receive sacramental Communion and help us avoid the sins that would make us unable to receive Holy Communion worthily.

Spiritual Communion Prayer

My Jesus, I believe that you are present in the Most Holy Sacrament.

I love you above all things and I desire to receive you in my soul.

Since I cannot at this moment receive you sacramentally,

Come at least spiritually into my heart.

I embrace you as if you were already there

And unite myself wholly to you.

Never permit me to be separated from you.

Amen.