Prophets have two major functions: to stir us up when we have fallen asleep on the surface of life and to encourage us when life is tough, when we have become discouraged or sorrowful. John the Baptist is a classic prophet of the “stir up” genre. Even though Israel had not experienced an acknowledged prophet for many generations, the people recognized his prophetic stance and flocked to see him, to hear his message. In God’s economy, he served a purpose similar to that of the warm-up acts for a rock concert, to fire up the audience for the main event. As Jesus points out in our gospel for today, quoting the prophet Malachi (3.1), John came to prepare the way for the Incarnation of Divine Love in the world, to shake people out of their complacency, their doldrums, to get their attention and call them to return to the way of the Lord.

Our first lesson from the Hebrew scriptures is a wonderful example of God’s message of encouragement. Take time to stop and read it again. Try to picture, as you read the words, all creation rejoicing “with joy and singing.” Can you see the “Holy Way” in your imagination? Do you feel safe and comforted trusting the all “sorrow and sighing shall flee away?” If not, try sitting with the passage again, letting it soak into your heart. Notice what happens.

Regardless of whether we are called to be the prophet or to receive the prophetic message, the writer of our second lesson reminds us that patience is required before we likely will experience the results. Remember the 40 years in the wilderness before getting to the Promised Land, the 70 years in Babylon before returning to Jerusalem—God’s time is not our time. But in the fullness of time God comes with “bountiful grace and mercy.” That is the good news in which we can trust.