Hopeful Expectation
“I am confident of this, that the one who began a good work in you will continue to complete it until the day of Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 1:6)
“I am confident of this, that the one who began a good work in you will continue to complete it until the day of Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 1:6)
In today’s Gospel we hear about John the Baptist, who fulfilled the Old Testament prophecy from Isaiah by “crying out in the desert”, to prepare the way for the coming of Jesus Christ. His actions give witness to a message or announcement and to hope. A message foreshadowing the salvation of man. And the hope of our Savior made man. A hope in something, someone, greater than this life who gives purpose to our toil.
Because our hope is placed in God, we can trust in Him in the same way that St. Paul speaks to the Philippians in the second reading, “I am confident of this, that the one who began a good work in you will continue to complete it until the day of Christ Jesus.”
But let us not get ahead of ourselves, this is only the second week of Advent, we are still very much in a time of hopeful expectation. With the confidence of a child, let us rely upon and receive from our heavenly Father the joyful moments of preparation.
The joy of a clean house for the arrival of a newborn, is similar to the joy of a clean soul after having gone to confession. The hopeful expectation with family, friends and neighbors of a newborn arriving home soon is akin to the hopeful expectation of the arrival of our Savior.
In this time of hopeful expectation, how are you making the winding roads straight and the rough ways smooth?
Heavenly Father, thank you for this time of waiting. With your grace, help me to prepare my heart, mind and soul for the coming of your son Jesus Christ. Amen.
Caleb Malec is a seminarian for the diocese and a parishioner of St. Stephen in Riverview. He grew up playing lacrosse, and racing motocross and BMX. Following high school, he was a full-time missionary in Dallas with NET Ministries and he spent another year as a full-time missionary for Life Teen, at Camp Covecrest in Tiger, GA. He began to take greater responsibility of his faith in high school, thanks to friends and a good youth group. Ever since renewing his relationship with God, he has a desire to help others come to know the mercy and joy our Lord offers each of us. The many young priests he encountered during high school and as a missionary helped him to realize his desire to give himself more fully to God. It was their witness, daily prayer, and a good community that led him to build the courage to answer the call and pursue the priesthood, the service of God and His Church!
