St John Baptist’s entire life was a preparation for Our Lord’s advent. In the same way, St John urged us to use our entire life to prepare the way of the Lord. We do that by bearing fruits worthy of repentance. These fruits are not merely avoiding sin, but replacing our misdeeds with the opposite.
For example, it is not enough to avoid hurtful words; fruits worthy of repentance include speaking kind and helpful words at precisely that time when we want to be sarcastic or snarky. Or, it is not enough not to show anger toward someone; fruits worthy of repentance include loving our enemies, and especially the one who has hurt us most deeply, with a true and genuine love. And it is not enough merely to avoid harmful images; fruits worthy of repentance include viewing instead the beautiful icons of Our Lord, His Holy Mother, and the saints.
These, of course, are not easy things to do, which is why we never work out our salvation by ourselves alone, but with the support and prayers of the saints and fellow parishioners. Yet as we work out our salvation with their help, we begin to make the rough places plain and the crooked places straight; and in that way, prepare the way both our our celebration of Our Lord’s first advent, and also for His second advent.
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