A Voice in the Wilderness
“Prepare the way of the Lord, make his paths straight”
As the season of Advent deepens, we are drawn into the prophetic drama of preparation and anticipation. The words of Malachi echo through time: a messenger is coming, one who will refine and purify like fire. And in the wilderness, John the Baptist heralds the nearness of God’s kingdom, calling us to repentance and readiness.
El Greco’s St. John the Baptist stands as a vivid portrait of this enigmatic figure. Shrouded in shadow yet suffused with a divine intensity, John gazes beyond the frame, his expression a blend of solemnity and urgency. His emaciated form and rugged garments speak to his ascetic calling, while the wild landscape surrounding him evokes the wilderness where his voice was first heard.
El Greco’s unique, elongated figures and dramatic use of light and color lend a spiritual fervor to the scene. John is not merely a man but a vessel of divine proclamation, pointing toward the Lamb of God. In his unyielding focus, we are reminded of our own call to clear the path for Christ, to prepare our hearts for the refining fire of his coming.
"But who may abide the day of his coming, and who shall stand when he appeareth?"
– Malachi 3:2
Second Sunday in Advent
Texts for This Week
Prayer
Blessed Lord, who caused all holy Scriptures to be written for our learning: Grant us so to hear them, read, mark, learn, and inwardly digest them, that by patience and the comfort of your holy Word we may embrace and ever hold fast the blessed hope of everlasting life, which you have given us in our Savior Jesus Christ; who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.
Scriptures
Malachi 3:1–5
Psalm 126
I Corinthians 4
Luke 3:1–6
Who may abide?
The But Who May Abide the Day of His Coming? Aria from Handel’s Messiah captures the spirit of Malachi’s prophecy with unmatched depth and drama. The opening is brooding, the strings trembling with anticipation, as if the earth itself were quaking under the weight of God’s justice.
The vocal line shifts from contemplative to fiery, reflecting the dual nature of the Messiah’s coming: a comfort to the faithful but a consuming fire to the unrighteous. The aria’s power lies in its dynamism, moving between fear and hope, between judgment and redemption.
Listening to Handel, we feel the urgency of John’s call: repentance is not a gentle request but a pressing demand. Yet in the fire of judgment, there is also the promise of renewal, of being purified and made ready for the joy of God’s presence.
Advent is a wilderness journey, and John the Baptist is our guide. He points us toward the coming Christ, urging us to clear away the clutter of sin and distraction so that we may embrace the joy of salvation. El Greco’s vision and Handel’s music remind us of the weight and glory of this call.
Let us prepare, not in fear, but in hope, trusting in the refining work of the One who comes to save.
"Restore our fortunes, O Lord, like the watercourses in the Negev. May those who sow in tears reap with shouts of joy." – Psalm 126:4-5
