Prepare the Way: Let Your Life Echo His Call

by Fr. Long Phi Nguyen, SVD  |  12/05/2025  |  Gospel Reflections

When I was young, my mom used to tell me a story about a little boy standing at the foot of a great mountain. Full of curiosity, he cupped his hands around his mouth and shouted, “Hello!” A moment later, the same word came echoing back—“Hello!”—bouncing across the cliffs. Delighted, he tried again. “Who are you?” And the mountain answered, “Who are you?” What amazed him most was realizing that the mountain gave back exactly what he offered. His own voice shaped what returned to him.

That simple story points us to the message of this Second Sunday of Advent. In the Gospel, John the Baptist appears in the wilderness as “a voice crying out in the desert.” His call—“Repent, for the Kingdom of heaven is at hand!”—isn’t meant to scare us, but to wake us up. Advent is a time when God calls out to each of us again. And like the echo on the mountainside, our response matters. If we answer with distraction, indifference, or the busyness that fills our days, the echo fades. But if we respond with openness, humility, and a true desire to change, God’s grace returns to us—stronger, clearer, and full of promise.

The desert John speaks of isn’t only a physical place; it’s the quiet space inside us where God’s voice can finally be heard. As we continue through this Advent season, we are invited to enter that inner stillness, to look honestly at our lives, and to prepare a straight path for the Lord.

May our parish echo John’s call with hearts turned toward repentance, hope, and joyful expectation for the coming of Christ our Lord.

Lord Jesus,
open our hearts to hear Your voice calling us back to You.
Calm the noise within us and help us respond with faith, humility, and love.
May our lives echo Your goodness and prepare a worthy path for Your coming.
O Come, O Come, Emmanuel!

Fr. Long