Permission. God needs your permission. It shows his humility. It shows that he understands love. He certainly loves us. As Love itself, it is all he can do; however, Love itself desires to be loved. He desires to be loved in an uninhibited manner.
Thus, he sends a prophet to prepare the way. John takes up the words of an earlier prophet, Isaiah, in words we hear in each of the four Gospel accounts, “A voice of one crying out in the desert: ‘Prepare the way of the Lord, make straight his paths’” (Is 40:3). They are words that echo within us in part because we hear them each Advent through liturgical readings and hymns.
What does it mean to prepare the Lord’s way or to make straight his paths? It can seem like a lot of responsibility, a great task.
This year in Luke’s Gospel we hear this quotation extended by a couple of verses: “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” (Is 40:4-5).
What we meet here can at first glance seem to raise the ante even more, not just preparing a way or straightening a path but filling in valleys and flattening mountains. Gratefully, however, we see how these images are communicated to us: in the passive voice. The agent by whom the action is done is implied. Valleys will be filled in. We ask, “By whom?” Mountains will be made low. We ask, “By whom?”
Likewise, we have the same question with the rough ways made smooth. When faced with life’s difficulties we can — unknown to ourselves — take too much responsibility and be left overwhelmed. How in the world can I fill in this valley? Level this mountain? Smooth out this rough patch? However, the passives used by Isaiah are a common way to speak about God’s action. We see them in both Matthew’s and Luke’s beatitudes, e.g. “blessed are you who are hungry now, for you shall be satisfied” (Lk 6:21). Who will satisfy? God will.
Often, we would like God to act directly, actively in our lives to solve our problems. Yet most of the time he works in what are subtle ways in the background perceptible only with the eyes of faith. The effects can be tremendous, with valleys filled in and mountains leveled, showing the extent of his love and his desire to be loved in return. He initiates and with the help of his grace we respond.
A point of reflection to consider as we approach this Sunday is: How I might inhibit his invitations in some manner or resist them. Sometimes the very fact that I experience resistance or resentment in my heart indicates that the Lord is inviting me to bring that valley or mountain to him. It is a way he desires to be loved in an uninhibited manner. Sometimes these can be tender or difficult parts of our heart. Sometimes we don’t realize that the Lord is waiting for us to invite him into such places. We sense ourselves waiting on him — to take an active part — while in his subtle and passive ways, he is waiting for us to invite him.
In the first weeks of Advent, we do await his return, yet until then he is often waiting for us to permit him into our unseen depths or breathless heights. With renewed vigor this Advent, let us grant him permission to act: maranatha — Lord, come!
Father Carl is vice rector and associate professor of sacred Scripture at The St. Paul Seminary in St. Paul.
Sunday, Dec. 8
Second Sunday of Advent
