My love shall never leave you, nor my covenant of peace be shaken,
says the Lord, who has mercy on you. (Isaiah 54:10b)

Wow! What a commitment the Lord provides! The assurance that no matter what occurs in our turbulent and changing world, there is someone we can count on, Jesus Christ! “My love shall never leave you.” God’s love will never abandon us, even in our darkest times. What a profound comfort. In this “throw-away” culture, God, who is counter-cultural, remains committed to you and to me. 

John the Baptist was sent to prepare the Way. He was the messenger referenced in Isaiah’s prophesy, the one who was sent to prepare Israel for Jesus, the Messiah. John’s mission and ministry served to point to Christ, not himself. John was a prophetic voice that drew people out to the wilderness to hear his message, but that message pointed to another that was coming… Jesus.  

Is God’s commitment to us reciprocated? We, too, are called to prepare His Way in our actions and the people we encounter. How do we show our commitment to God? Do we realize that our actions may be the only encounter with the Gospel, with Christ, others may have? Do we stay committed even when things become challenging or mundane? Can we say the same thing to God that we will never leave him, nor our covenant with him not be shaken? If we have faltered, Advent is a great way to get back on track.

Preparing the Way doesn’t require extensive schooling or a monumental action. St. Mother Teresa of Calcutta would say, “do small things with great love, and it will make all the difference.” We may not be able to feed 5,000, but it can start with one person. We may not be able to physically heal the sick, but we may comfort someone suffering physically, mentally, or spiritually by being present with them, praying for them, and being patient with them.  These are small ways, when done with Great Love, to show our covenant with the Father.