Today is Dec. 8, the Second Sunday of Advent.
At Mass this Sunday, we hear one of the iconic Advent passages: “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'” (Lk 3:4-6).
Bethlehem lies near the edge of the desert, where barren wilderness meets fertile fields. This proximity is a striking symbol of the Advent journey — a movement from desolation to promise, from spiritual dryness to the overflowing grace of Christ’s coming. Just as John the Baptist proclaimed his call to repentance in the wilderness, Bethlehem’s closeness to the desert reminds us that God’s salvation often begins in the most unlikely and desolate places.
The desert is a place of purification and preparation. It strips away distractions and reveals our dependence on God. As we hear John’s cry to “prepare the way of the Lord,” we are reminded that Advent is a time to clear the deserts of our hearts, making them ready for Christ. The valleys of despair and sin must be filled with hope and grace. The mountains of pride must be made low, and the crooked paths of our lives must be straightened through repentance.
Bethlehem, so close to the desert, invites us to reflect on this journey. The Savior who comes to us in Bethlehem does not avoid the wilderness; He enters into it, sanctifying it with His presence. The desert, often seen as a place of scarcity, becomes a place of encounter. In Bethlehem, the barrenness of humanity is met with the overflowing abundance of God’s love in the Incarnation.
What are the deserts in our lives?
As we prepare for Christmas, we might ask: What are the deserts in our lives? Where do we feel barren or distant from God? Advent calls us to listen to the voice crying out in our wilderness, to heed the invitation to repentance and renewal. Just as the desert near Bethlehem gave way to the promise of new life, so too can the deserts of our hearts become fertile ground for God’s grace.
Bethlehem’s proximity to the wilderness reminds us that salvation is not far from the places we might least expect. It is, in fact, a meeting place, a kind of intersection between desert and town, wilderness and civilization. In Jesus, God’s saving work storms our lives. Two worlds are bridged, making it possible for “all flesh to see the salvation of God.”
Let us pray,
Almighty and merciful God, may no earthly undertaking hinder those who set out in haste to meet your Son, but may our learning of heavenly wisdom gain us admittance to His company. Who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, God, for ever and ever.
