“Behold, I am sending my messenger ahead of you, he will prepare your way before you.” In today’s Gospel, Jesus extols John the Baptist as his prophesied forerunner. We have been hearing much of him in the gospel readings throughout Advent, because, in a way, he is an embodiment of the Advent season, which prepares the way for Christ’s coming at Christmas. 
The Baptist is the “greatest” of those born of women, on account of the very important task that he has been entrusted with. Similarly, Advent has a very important task for each of us to prepare our hearts to welcome Christ.

How has this Advent preparation been going for us so far? If you’re like me, it is easy to get caught up in all that “needs to be done” before Christmas, so let’s take this opportunity to pause for a moment of silent prayer and identify one or two things that “need to be done” to truly prepare for Christ at Christmas. Is there a grudge I am holding onto that needs to be forgiven? Is there an anxiety about something outside of my control that needs to be surrendered to the Lord and his care? Let’s use these final 9 days of Advent to address these things in our lives and open up space for him.

Let us pray:
Lord, thank you for this gift of Advent, a time set aside to prepare our hearts for the great joy of Christmas. Just as you have sent your Son ahead of us to prepare a place for us in your heavenly kingdom, help us to prepare a place for him in our hearts. Give us the grace to set aside our fears, anxieties, anger, and any other distractions that are crowding you out of our hearts. Amen.