A Voice Heralding the Good News of God

Prayer-Soldier

Be comforted, be comforted, my people, says your God. Speak to the heart of Jerusalem, and call to her: for her evil is come to an end, her iniquity is forgiven: she has received of the hand of the Lord double for all her sins.

The voice of one crying in the desert: Prepare the way of the Lord, make straight in the wilderness the paths of our God. Every valley shall be exalted, and every mountain and hill shall be made low, and the crooked shall become straight, and the rough ways plain. And the glory of the Lord shall be revealed, and all flesh together shall see, that the mouth of the Lord has spoken. The voice of one, saying: Cry. And I said: What shall I cry? All flesh is grass, and all the glory thereof as the flower of the held. The grass is withered, and the dower is fallen, because the spirit of the Lord has blown upon it. Indeed the people are grass: The grass is withered, and the flower is fallen: but the word of our Lord endures for ever.

Get upon a high mountain, you that brings good tidings to Sion: lift up your voice with strength, you that brings good tidings to Jerusalem: lift it up, fear not. Say to the cities of Juda: Behold your God: Behold the Lord God shall come with strength, and his arm shall rule: Behold his reward is with him and his work is before him. He shall feed his flock like a shepherd: he shall gather together the lambs with his arm, and shall take them up in his bosom, and he himself shall carry them that are with young. (Isaiah 40:1-11)

But of this one thing be not ignorant, my beloved, that one day with the Lord is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day. The Lord delays not his promise, as some imagine, but deals patiently for your sake, not willing that any should perish, but that all should return to penance. But the day of the Lord shall come as a thief, in which the heavens shall pass away with great violence, and the elements shall be melted with heat, and the earth and the works which are in it, shall be burnt up.

Seeing then that all these things are to be dissolved, what manner of people ought you to be in holy conversation and godliness? Looking for and hasting unto the coming of the day of the Lord, by which the heavens being on fire shall be dissolved, and the elements shall melt with the burning heat? But we look for new heavens and a new earth according to his promises, in which justice dwells. Wherefore, dearly beloved, waiting for these things, be diligent that you may be found before him unspotted and blameless in peace. (2 Peter 3:8-14)

The beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God. As it is written in Isaiah the prophet: Behold I send my angel before your face, who shall prepare the way before you. A voice of one crying in the desert: Prepare the way of the Lord, make straight his paths.

John was in the desert baptizing, and preaching the baptism of penance, unto remission of sins. And there went out to him all the country of Judea, and all they of Jerusalem, and were baptized by him in the river of Jordan, confessing their sins. And John was clothed with hair of the camel, and a leather girdle about his loins; and he ate locusts and wild honey. And he preached, saying: There comes after me one mightier than I, the thongs of whose sandals I am not worthy to stoop down and loose. I have baptized you with water; but he shall baptize you with the Holy Spirit. ( Matthew 1:1-8 )

Blessed are they who are called to spread the message of the Lord. Those who share His Word bring tidings of the glory of God and the blessings of His mercy, grace and love. Blessed are they who hear the voices who bring the true message of the Lord, for they will receive news of great hope. The good news is there for all who will hear, all who will listen, all who will seek to understand.

In generations passed, it was heralded that He would come and that we should prepare for that day with gladness and joy, but not all would listen, not all would hear. The day will come when those who are filled with pride and arrogance will be humbled and those who are humble will be lifted high. Blessed are the faithful, for though tribes and nations may have been filled with iniquity, God will remember those who prayed, those who provided charity, those who cared for the children of His creation, those who shared the blessings of love and the Word of God.

Generations were told that a single voice would cry out in the desert to make way for the Lord. In prayer we should join and ask that not just one voice should herald the way, but that many hearts be filled so we all might lift our voices in song and praise of the good news of the Lord.

We should be thankful for the patience of God, that we may all have the opportunity to turn from the ways which are displeasing to Him. As each day passes, we have the opportunity to turn to Him, to turn to the blessings of His Word, to fulfill our responsibilities to one another. Each day, we have the opportunity to turn away from the ways of selfishness and seek to selflessly give of ourselves, give of our talents, give of the gifts God has granted to us.

The time we spend in prayer, the time we spend helping another less fortunate is time we spend away from the iniquities of the world. The time we spend reflecting upon his Word and the time we spend sharing of our talents is time we do not turn to the temptations around us. Blessed are we for the time he offers to turn from the paths which lead to darkness, but we should be mindful of our time for we do not know the day He will come to sweep away the clouds and the earth and hold every soul to account for how each has spent what He has given, how each has responded to the commandments to love.

Blessed are those who have learned to turn away from evil, who have prayed for forgiveness of their iniquities, who have professed their belief in their Savior, who have accepted His Word; for they will be blessed in the eyes of the Lord. Blessed are the believers, for it is through their belief their souls will be saved. Because of their belief, the day will come where their souls shall be purified and they will be invited to share in the peace and joy of eternal life with the Lord. Eagerly, we all should herald the coming of that blessed day where we will be freed from the sins of the world.

In generations passed, John cried out to all who would listen of the coming of One who would bring us the blessing of the Holy Spirit. Many flocked to John to hear his words, but not all would understand. Many ridiculed the baptist and turned themselves from him, not knowing what they did. In no uncertain terms he told people what they were; some would hear, but others chose to be deaf.

Blessed are we that we were given the voice which cried out in the desert, for he heralded the way. Blessed are we that after the sacrifice made for our sins that we were given the Holy Spirit through which we may continue to hear the good news once heralded by angels and prophets.

Blessed are we for the great heralding of the good news of the Lord, but it is our hearts which must receive it. Let us, then, listen for the good news. Let us pray in thanks that one was sent to proclaim the way. Let us pray in thanks that One was sent so that we all might be saved. Let us pray that when we hear the voice of the Holy Spirit, we will invite Him into our hearts so that we may truly understand that which has been heralded to us.

May the peace and blessings of the Lord be with you always,
Prayer Soldier