Saturday, December 17 Preparing a Space by Jan Richardson See, I am sending my messenger ahead of you, who will prepare your way before you. – Matthew 11:10 Take some time to center yourself today. Find a quiet spot. Light a candle if you have one near. Breathe in and out, slowly and deeply, inviting the Spirit of God to speak to you in the silence. The season of Advent is a time of preparation, a time of getting things ready for what lies ahead. In years past we might have found ourselves deeply engaged in the getting ready for Christmas. Living in the time of pandemic and the social limitations it has placed upon us has made what was normal no longer so. And yet, Advent beckons us to ask ourselves: for what are we preparing? In the Gospel of Matthew, John the Baptist goes ahead to prepare the way for Jesus. We are called to set our sight on what is to come – the arrival of the Christ Child, the Messiah, the Savior. What if, though, we also took time to reflect on the pathway. What is the way that is being prepared for within the wilderness of our own lives? And what would it mean for our lives to become pathways of welcome for the Holy One? Prayer Lord Jesus, as you were with Mary, be present with us in our preparation. Blessing For all the generations that have prepared the way; for all the unseen hands that have made ready every space; for those who light the fires of welcome and who tend to every resting place, O God of every pilgrim, we bless you with our thanks. Amen.
