In the Wilderness

Here are some thoughts I shared regarding this Sunday's gospel for Advent 2.  This was sent to the people of St. Timothy


SCRIPTURE FOCUS
Gospel: Luke 3:1-6

1In the fifteenth year of the reign of Emperor Tiberius, when Pontius Pilate was governor of Judea, and Herod was ruler of Galilee, and his brother Philip ruler of the region of Ituraea and Trachonitis, and Lysanias ruler of Abilene, 2during the high priesthood of Annas and Caiaphas, the word of God came to John son of Zechariah in the wilderness. 3He went into all the region around the Jordan, proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins, 4as it is written in the book of the words of the prophet Isaiah,
“The voice of one crying out in the wilderness:
‘Prepare the way of the Lord,
make his paths straight.
5Every valley shall be filled,
and every mountain and hill shall be made low,
and the crooked shall be made straight,
and the rough ways made smooth;
6and all flesh shall see the salvation of God.’ ”

REFLECTION
 “…the word of God came to John…in the wilderness.” In the Holy Land, the wilderness was a scary place. It was and is riddled with scorpions and poisonous snakes. It is so dry, that often the first rain of the rainy season is muddy rain. It’s really something, especially the way it stains your clothes. 

The wilderness is a hard place to live in. It is dry, because it is desert. Lack of water is an issue. It is desolate and void of color, except for the few cacti. It can be very unpleasant. 
But on the flip side, the Judean Desert is beautiful as the sun is low in the sky and sunset is near. Rather than the drab beige, everything is transformed, taking on a pink hue. The desert wilderness is a quiet place without distractions. You can think in the wilderness and hear in the wilderness. Perhaps this is why this is where the word of God came to John.
Jesus also sought the wilderness to get away from the throngs of people. He went there to pray and commune with his Father. 

Do we feel like we’re in the wilderness—alone, lonely and afraid? Where is God? God is right there with you in the wilderness, desiring to speak to you in the quiet. Calm yourself and look and listen and you will know God’s comforting presence and direction in your life.In the wilderness, the word of God was proclaimed “6…and all flesh shall see the salvation of God’” (v. 6). God is present wherever we are. 

Pastor Ivy Gauvin
Barren desert picture
Pink desert

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