Now I am sending my messenger—
he will prepare the way before me;
And the lord whom you seek will come suddenly to his temple;
The messenger of the covenant whom you desire—
see, he is coming! says the LORD of hosts. (Malachi 3:1 NABRE)
As the season of Advent draws to a close, we are fast approaching Christmas day and the birth of our Lord, Jesus Christ. During this time of preparation it is good to recall the one who prepared the way for the arrival of the Messiah. The gospel of Matthew (11:10) refers back to the first two lines of today's verse (written about 450 years before the birth of Christ) using them to describe John the Baptist.*
Lord Jesus, your cousin John prepared the way before you. He turned hearts to you so that they might know you when you arrived. He lived an austere life in the desert, preached a message of repentance to all who listened, and baptized those who came to him as a sign of cleansing of sin. Help me to learn from John how to live in this time of waiting for Jesus' return. Help me to joyfully celebrate the One who redeemed my soul and to live in a way pleasing to God.
Today, I will seek to help others recognize Jesus as Savior, like John the Baptist did, by my words and by the way I live my life.
Saint John Kanty, who was kind, humble and generous, who suffered opposition and led an austere, penitential life, pray for us.
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