Sometimes I wonder why was the prophet crying in the wilderness! Where was the wilderness? And what was the wilderness like.
Then I realized that sometimes our hearts are so dried up we thirst for some refreshing, renewed food and water to enliven us. It is so crooked with pain and struggles of life, we become wilderness ourselves. We go through lives struggles alone even when we have lots of people to love us and care for us. While there is a mirage of coolness and confidence in the midst of such painful life events, there is such dryness behind it we dare not to share with others for fear of letting go of our past, present and sometimes unrealistic expectations of the future.
Today, the prophet is calling us to prepare the way for the life and light to pass through our lives and bring the realities of today into light. He is calling us to live today. Open the doors of insecurity, fear, sickness and struggles to let some fresh air of caring love pass through today. Allow the crooked paths to be streightened and valleys of fears and darkness be filled with the light of love. Open up…. allow some fresh air!