Advent reflection: this week during Advent we encounter John the Baptist, proclaiming the coming of the Lord as he courageously stands in the wilderness, clothed in camel’s hair and a leather belt around his waist. Make straight the paths for the coming of the Lord. In the reflection offered below from Stan Purdum’s Advent study book, we consider the paths of our lives, the obstacles, roundabouts, and narrow ways of those paths; and, finally, reflect on how we might begin to uncover our obstacles to God and smooth the way for the coming of the Lord.

Reflections based on the book by Stan Purdum:
Travel the Highways of Advent: An Advent Study for Adults
The First Week of Advent: The Straightened and Leveled Highway

I. The highway system in the U.S.
– Started in 1926, the numbered highway system in the U.S. has criss-crossed the country
– The addition of numbered roads was largely complete by 1955
– Although the “end points” of U.S. routes remain the same, constant changes are underway to make improvements and necessary changes, reducing road lengths by removing bottle necks and other obstacles to easy travel
– The author provides a story of one such road improvement in Harrison, AR: a two lane road was being widened to four, and at the same time significant improvements were being made to the grade of the land…valleys filled in and hills made low to improve the flow of the future traffic

II. Isaiah – the return of the Jewish exiles
– The return of the Jewish exiles is understood as a restoration of relationship with God
– Years of captivity finally have come to an end
– Isaiah 40:3-4 – make the way straight for the Lord
– Do not want anything to stand in the way of God
– As we make our way through Advent and read the New Testament, John the Baptist is the one speaking to us; he is the Voice in the Wilderness

Reflection: God can make amazing things happen without us, so what is gained as we join the prayerful work of preparing the way, making the paths straight?

III. Leveling & Straightening
– Isaiah’s prophecy: the heavenly host will make the path straight for God
– John the Baptist’s prophecy: people are called to make their lives straight in order to accept God; a change of one’s heart and life
– John would tailor his message to our specific lives in order to help us identify how we might give God an unobstructed highway into our hearts and minds

IV. Help from the Highway Engineer
– Consider our lives and spiritual growth
– Where/What are the detours, roundabouts, narrow places, and bumps in our lives
– Perhaps we first need to identify and/or acknowledge these places
– These obstacles exist and are of our own making (reflection: from where do they come?)
– Pope Gregory I (540-604): “He who endeavors to ascend to the highest places, rises by degrees or steps, and not by leaps”
– An example of a “detour” – the author’s impatience
– “Ask and you will receive, ….”
– “Jesus tells [his followers] that the answer to our prayers often comes in the form of spiritual graces in our lives, not in material treasures or in God changing the course of events in our lives;” and, I would add, in well-defined, concrete answers to our questions…

V. Questions for Discussion and Reflection
– How does the image of the highway speak to you about your relationship with God and your daily life of faith?
– What kinds of leveling and straightening do you need to do? What obstacles to your full discipleship need to be addressed prayerfully with God?
– Have you had times when you were especially aware that Christ had come to you? If so, what did you take away from those experiences?
– If you’ve not had that awareness, does that mean that Christ has not been present with you? Why or why not?
– How does Christ help in your relationship with God?
– When you pray, what do you hope will happen?
– What steps will you take to make Advent more than simply a get-ready-for-Christmas period?

A suggested focus for the week:
Once you have identified some spiritual “leveling and straightening” that you need to do, devote at least one prayer each day this week to discussing those “highway projects” with God, the ultimate highway engineer.