From the Pastor’s Corner: Fr. Justus Alaeto
Make Your Heart and Life Straight for Jesus
Today is the second Sunday of advent. Today, John the Baptist is presented to us, as that special figure and great witness for advent’s preparation.
 

He was the one who went ahead of the Lord to level everywhere for Jesus the Savior to come in. John the Baptist prepared for Jesus, through prayer, sacrifice, and solitude in the desert, to awaken his own heart and spiritual ability to recognize the presence of Christ the Emmanuel.
 

John the Baptist encourages all of us to do the same. He was asking us today to make the rough roads in our spiritual lives smooth, to level all mountains of ungodly things in our lives, so that Christ will have a clear path to heal us and be with us.   
 

In our own lives my brothers and sisters, we can quickly notice some mountains of sins or manners of our lives that need to level out with prayer, solitude, and good work. They are ways we can make our hearts straight for Jesus Christ. This is the time for us to embark on that longing for the presence of God in our lives.
 

The good question this time will be: what am I supposed to do for Christ to come into my life this Advent? Well, the answer is clearly what the prophet John the Baptist tells all of us to do today; to make straight the path of the Lord in my heart. I do that, by reflecting and asking myself, what are those lifestyles in me that are not straight with the ways of God? I need to level it out this advent season. How about my personal relationship with God? Is it level enough for Jesus? How about my relationship with people, that is supposed to prove I have a good relationship with God? Is that working well or not? This is the time to make way for Jesus to come into your life. How about relationships with your wife or husband and children? even your extended family? How is your attitude towards others?  Is that level enough for Jesus to come in? – Advent is a time to make way for Jesus to be born into your own family
Am I willing to make the decision not to harbor evil thoughts against my neighbor? Uncharitable behavior? Unchristian attitudes? Impure thought and life? And other immoral behavior that can distract the relationship with Jesus Christ! Such a decision to clear the way for the Lord, is the best time to light a Christmas tree. There is a spiritual need for us to see reason to light Christmas trees. That will be the moment Christmas decoration will make much sense to us.
 

In the spiritual sense, Christmas light decoration should be a light we joyfully lit during advent when we have truly made the decision to level those mountains of sin in our lives. Each time you see that light it will reflect the presence of Jesus coming into your life, your family, and everything you do. It will be such a joy and transformation, each time you gaze at that Christmas light decoration. It will symbolize your willingness to welcome Jesus Christ into your own life. Let us therefore pray at this Mass that God will help us to figure out those areas of our lives that truly need spiritual work, and we are honest with it.
 

Let us pray, that like John the Baptist; through prayer, sacrifice, and solitude, God will awaken our hearts, the spiritual ability to recognize the presence of Christ the Emmanuel who is coming to transform and bless all of us, with His Love and Favors.