The word of God came to John the son of Zechariah in the desert.

The word of God came and John went.

John went throughout the whole region of the Jordan,
proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins

God’s coming to John was quite different from the rest of the prophets. God had to come to them in burning bushes, in whispering winds, and in a myriad of other ways. John simply listened and when he heard God’s word he went.

John’s example brings up two very important virtues: perception and readiness. John is the perfect example for our Advent preparations, exactly for the virtues he lived.

Let’s tackle these virtues head-on.

The first is perception.

In essence the act of perceiving is our ability to listen for and hear God’s word in our life; our being tuned into God.

Oh, but deacon, God doesn’t talk to me… Anyway I do good things and I try hard.

While I’m sure that you have that perception, a perception that flows from your comfort zone, I’m here to shake up that perception.

God wants to talk to you. He is prepared to talk to you at several levels, but to hear Him you must clear your mind. Clear your mind and get out of your comfort zone. God’s here to upset the apple cart.

This Advent prepare yourself to perceive God’s word.

How do you think John prepared? He did it by study —“ John knew his scripture, his prophets, and he knew the men and women of his generation. He knew human life and family life, but, and this is the big difference, he allowed God to put that knowledge in perspective for him.

John prepared by study, prayer, fasting, and extreme self denial. He was the man who came wearing a cloak of animal fur and eating locusts and wild honey.

You too must prepare to hear God in the same way; you must prepare to listen for God’s perspective on your life. You must prepare by penance, fasting, self denial, study, and most importantly prayer. You must prepare by creating the space in your life, the space God is ready to fill with His word.

Yes my brothers and sisters, God will speak to you. You won’t like what He has to say, you won’t be comfortable with it, but His is the only voice that counts. His is the only voice that will save you, redeem you, and bring you to heaven.

Do not place anything above His voice. Do not place obstacles in your path to heaven. Rather than place obstacles remember what God has done for Israel:

For God has commanded
that every lofty mountain be made low,
and that the age-old depths and gorges
be filled to level ground,
that Israel may advance secure in the glory of God.

You are the new and everlasting Israel. God wants to speak to you. He has prepared the way, so prepare yourselves to perceive His voice.

The second virtue is that of readiness.

Readiness is more than preparation. Preparation, as I noted, is the act of getting ready with the tools you have been given, and for the event you know is coming.

Think of a dinner party at your home. You know the guests that are coming; you know the number of chairs, hors d’oeuvres, place settings, and wine glasses you will need. You know what you need to prepare for and how to prepare.

Again, as I noted, preparing to hear God’s word, and the tools you need are well known: penance, fasting, self denial, study, and most importantly prayer.

But readiness is more. Readiness is more like the firefighter. He never knows what may come, but he is ready to go.

You too must be ready. The same tools: penance, fasting, self denial, study, and prayer give you the training you need to be ready.

Your being ready means that you are prepared to respond, to go forward without thought or regret. God says go and do, you go and do, and like John you do not count the cost or the implications. Like John sometimes it means loosing your head for Christ.

Brothers and sisters,

Be perceptive and be ready. Remember, God upsets the apple cart. He calls you to do things that you once thought were impossible. He asks you to give up things you once thought you could never live without. He turns the world on its head.

Be perceptive and be ready to live up to the name you bear —“ Christian.

Be perceptive and be ready so that Paul’s prayer might be fulfilled in you.

And this is my prayer:
that your love may increase ever more and more
in knowledge and every kind of perception,
to discern what is of value,
so that you may be pure and blameless for the day of Christ

The day of Christ will dawn upon us without warning. Be perceptive and be ready.