Prepare the way

Gospel: Mk 1:1-8

https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/121023.cfm

Today’s gospel had me asking some very existential questions: What all had to take place for the arrival of Jesus? What all had to take place for the arrival of you in history?

It is impossible to think of everything that had to occur for you to be here at this given moment. There are a lot of things that could have happened differently that would have impeded your existence. Not all things throughout that history were good, and not all things were bad. Similarly, with Jesus’s journey into becoming human, there were legacies of virtues and atrocities. As these stories show us, God can work through all of it.

With everything, there are foundational elements that make the next step possible. John the Baptist was one such catalyst for Jesus's mission. John the Baptist planted the seed for what was to come. He was an enabler in the best sense of the word. He served a role for a greater purpose. He helped the people to start seeing things differently. He did not fit the traditional image of one who brings such a message. He helped them stretch into a new way of thinking. He led the way for the reception of Jesus’s message. John broke from the traditions of his day to find and share a new way; one that was foundational to what was coming next.

We are called to do the same in our time. We must transcend what has come before us to lay a foundation for what will come after us. This is a great responsibility we all share. We are called to receive what has been given to us, transform it, and share it to prepare the Kingdom of God. We will mess up along the way, but we hope that God will work through it all and help us along the way. That help may be in the form of other people.

What is something that you can do today that will help make the path straighter for someone else? How can your life be foundational to the success of others? How are others helping you?