February 12
As it is written in Isaiah the prophet,
“Behold, I send my messenger before thy face, who shall prepare thy way; the voice of one crying in the wilderness: Prepare the way of the Lord, make his paths straight -” Mark 1: 2-3
Deep in the woods there is a stillness and silence that is palpable. A branch breaks free and falls to the ground with a thud; its sound vibrates deeply into the mossy, plant-filled, carpeted ground sending ripples outward in all directions. The echo of it reverberates throughout the forest, seeming to be closer than it actually is. Leaves rustle and one quickly looks over a shoulder expecting to see something or someone right there - the origin of the noise unclear. A bird calls out; it’s voice resounding in waves throughout the woods mingling with others of its kind in a resonant chorus that seems to be coming from everywhere. The sound of voices too, becomes confusing in the forest, as any hiker attests to; the echo bounces off the vegetation there, making it difficult to discern which direction they are coming from. It takes just the right set of circumstances to be able to clearly determine the source and direction of sound in the wilderness.
For some, the word wilderness implies the pain of loneliness and emptiness within; a stagnant, barren place from where it is difficult to go forward. We have all been there at one time or another. It’s a hurting, unsettled and confused state that is difficult to find a way out of, with our hearts anxiously listening for the sound of words of comfort, love and direction – for that call from someone who cares. And when the pathway out of that wilderness is made clear to us and we follow it, it is with great relief and indescribable joy.
John answered God’s call. He was a man who appeared to be quite comfortable in the wilderness. He had to understand all creation and sound there to survive, as he lived with all the experiences that would occur in any forest. God tells us that John’s voice was like one “crying in the wilderness.” He cried out directions – a path to follow - and urged all to prepare the way to receive God.
As with any sound in the wilderness, did John’s voice confuse many, then? We know from Sacred Scripture that countless did not comprehend where his words were coming from. Do we still look around in an effort to understand which direction we are being called from? Our heavenly Father provides us with just the right set of circumstances for our hearts to listen and to understand what is being called out to us in our wilderness. Could John have possibly known then that his voice, like the sounds in the forest, would echo on and on as it still does today? He beckons us to prepare our hearts to receive our Lord. As we begin to think about preparing for the season of Lent, it would be good to think about his voice still resonating deeply into the souls of many of us throughout the world.
Open our ears to your call, dear Lord; open our hearts to receive you.
Copyright© 2014 Kathleen A. Matson
As it is written in Isaiah the prophet,
“Behold, I send my messenger before thy face, who shall prepare thy way; the voice of one crying in the wilderness: Prepare the way of the Lord, make his paths straight -” Mark 1: 2-3
Deep in the woods there is a stillness and silence that is palpable. A branch breaks free and falls to the ground with a thud; its sound vibrates deeply into the mossy, plant-filled, carpeted ground sending ripples outward in all directions. The echo of it reverberates throughout the forest, seeming to be closer than it actually is. Leaves rustle and one quickly looks over a shoulder expecting to see something or someone right there - the origin of the noise unclear. A bird calls out; it’s voice resounding in waves throughout the woods mingling with others of its kind in a resonant chorus that seems to be coming from everywhere. The sound of voices too, becomes confusing in the forest, as any hiker attests to; the echo bounces off the vegetation there, making it difficult to discern which direction they are coming from. It takes just the right set of circumstances to be able to clearly determine the source and direction of sound in the wilderness.
For some, the word wilderness implies the pain of loneliness and emptiness within; a stagnant, barren place from where it is difficult to go forward. We have all been there at one time or another. It’s a hurting, unsettled and confused state that is difficult to find a way out of, with our hearts anxiously listening for the sound of words of comfort, love and direction – for that call from someone who cares. And when the pathway out of that wilderness is made clear to us and we follow it, it is with great relief and indescribable joy.
John answered God’s call. He was a man who appeared to be quite comfortable in the wilderness. He had to understand all creation and sound there to survive, as he lived with all the experiences that would occur in any forest. God tells us that John’s voice was like one “crying in the wilderness.” He cried out directions – a path to follow - and urged all to prepare the way to receive God.
As with any sound in the wilderness, did John’s voice confuse many, then? We know from Sacred Scripture that countless did not comprehend where his words were coming from. Do we still look around in an effort to understand which direction we are being called from? Our heavenly Father provides us with just the right set of circumstances for our hearts to listen and to understand what is being called out to us in our wilderness. Could John have possibly known then that his voice, like the sounds in the forest, would echo on and on as it still does today? He beckons us to prepare our hearts to receive our Lord. As we begin to think about preparing for the season of Lent, it would be good to think about his voice still resonating deeply into the souls of many of us throughout the world.
Open our ears to your call, dear Lord; open our hearts to receive you.
Copyright© 2014 Kathleen A. Matson