Getting ready for Advent:First we are to "prepare the way", filling in valleys, leveling hills, straightening crooked roads, and smoothing out rough paths.
This imagery comes from a typical scene in the ancient world (before concrete and asphalt highways). When a King or emperor made the rounds, his officials would travel ahead of him, making sure that the roads were safe and in good condition (roads were notoriously unreliable in Isaiah's time, long before the establishment and spread of the Roman Empire).
This assured that the King would not be delayed and would be less vulnerable to enemy ambushes.
Likewise, we are called to examine our souls on a regular basis, especially in the joyful but penitential season of Advent.
We need to take some time to step away from the noise, from the hustle and bustle of our busy world (what frenzy there is in and around the Cordova Mall).
We need to look into hearts, to see where selfishness has put obstacles in our relationships with God and with other people.
We need to see where habits of laziness and self-indulgence have worn away our self-discipline.
All of us need to fill in some spiritual potholes and clear away some unwelcome debris, so that the graces God has in store for us this Advent will be able to stream unhindered into our hearts.
The heart is the road God wants to follow so as to come into and transform our lives: it is up to us to do the necessary repairs to allow that to happen.
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