Gospel for December 5 2021 – Luke 3:1-6
Gospel Reflections for December 5 2021
What about your needs?
The Gospel today places the story of Jesus in a real and specific historical time.
This is not a story that begins, “Once upon a time” as most fairy tales do, but places Jesus in a real time and place in history. The long list of historical names and places affirm that Jesus means to arrive with practical answers to your human condition based on your real needs right now.
There are problems in our nation as well. You can also look to political leaders to see if they will meet your needs too. Will they seek answers to rising prices in a time of inflation? Will they find answers to rising crime? Will they provide peaceful resolutions to international crises? Will they respond well to new Covid variants?
Those are the right questions to ask any leader. They are also the right questions to ask a Savior who comes to save you too.
In today’s Gospel, John the Baptist knows how important solving real problems are. He recognizes that it is only Jesus who can answer your deepest needs. He wants to do everything possible to make sure that meeting between you and Our Lord happens.
Prepare the way of the Lord, make straight his paths.
Every valley shall be filled and every mountain and hill shall be made low.
The winding roads shall be made straight, and the rough ways made smooth.
What is getting in the way of your meeting Jesus now? Advent is the time to recognize it …and remove it.
Politics today can often cause a sense of hopelessness. You can never be sure that political leaders will respond well to your needs. Fair enough. However, that hopelessness can never be the case for followers of Jesus. We always place our hope in Our Lord for our deepest happiness and so never despair.
Our Lord provides a way to lasting happiness no matter what is going on, and it is the way of love. You simply offer your life in love to those around you every day and in every circumstance, in good times and in bad, in sickness and in health.
You may not change the world and all its problems, but you will certainly make a difference for the people in your home, school, or workplace. It will certainly make a difference for you as well.
The way of the Lord is always the answer.
God Bless!
Fr. Dave
Dear Father Dave,
A deep love and faith in our Savior is at the heart and center of being alive. I believe we are His, now and always. Yes, the way of the Lord is always the answer.
Human nature is such that as a society we’re affected by good as well as poor leadership. I believe the top chain of command comes from God. When that is lost or forgotten, chaos begins its assent.
America is in a rough patch at the moment, but the pendulum always swings.
God bless you.
Kathleen
Yes, always remember the “top chain of command!” Well said.
A voice crying out in thr desert is calling to prepare the way of the Lord. That is advice for
Today as well as we ponder the time of the Birth of our Savior again this year. Focusing on the Spiritual and a lessening of the material is essential to really benefit from the Season.
I pray that we all benefit from experiencing the warmth and Blessings offered by this very special time of year in the here and now!
The Real benefits are Eternal .
Well said!
Thank you for this wonderful gospel reflection, Fr. Dave!! ! We wish you a blessed Christmas!!
Peter and Joan
I wish you a very blessed Christmas as well!
Father Dave, You so beautifully expressed it!!! Love is the answer in all circumstances!!! We can change the world in changing hearts not attacking the person but attacking the issue!!! We are sooooooooooooooooooooooooo blessed with our Jesus who taught us to love, who died for us and who lives now forever in leading us to Heaven!!! Love our Jesus, love Christmas, love life and love love!!! A most beautiful, precious Advent to you and a most blessed Christmas filled with Jesus’ LOVE!!!!!! Loveeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee it and loveeeeeeeee you for giving us the gift of our precious Jesus!!!!!!Loveeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee, franca and Dick
Thank you!
This season of waiting for the Lord gives us the opportunity to search for Him
in a deeper and more personnel way!
Somewhere in the darkness a bright light shines telling us there is someone
greater than ourselves in charge. His plan is not ours to solve, but to wait
and trust in Him!
Yes, Advent is that time to listen especially to the voice of the Lord.
This Gospel also reminds me work out Our salvation with fear etc. It reminds me of the fact we need to constantly look at our lives and let Or Lord make straight the path in our lives. With the Epistle leading up to that message.
Yes, that self-reflection is the whole purpose of Advent.
Love never fails!
True!