How are your Christmas preparations going? Not just the shopping and the wrapping, but preparing for the coming of Christ! Advent is a time when we hear the words of the prophets, and are reminded that we are called to be prophets in our own time – preparing our world for the coming of the Lord.

Recently on St. Joseph’s Workshop, Fr. Matthew Spencer, OSJ reminded us to not just be inwardly focused during this Advent season, but to prepare the world for the Lord’s coming just as we prepare our own hearts. Fr. Matthew said:

“It’s the Advent message to turn away from our sins and to follow Jesus. To repent and believe in the Gospel. To prepare a way for the Lord. To prepare a way for Christ to come into our lives, into our hearts, and also into our culture.

This is so important. Advent is not only about a personal encounter and experience with Jesus, as important as that element of it is. You and I are also called to prepare a way for the Lord into the culture in which we live, into our societies.

To be prophetic, in the same way that John the Baptist was prophetic, in the same way that Isaiah, and Jeremiah, and Micah, and all the prophets who have gone before us – they announced the coming of the Lord. You and I are called to do the same thing.

And I look at the culture, and the world in which we live, and it reminds me of how much our world still needs to be evangelized, still needs to be converted. Beginning with you and me. I’ll be the first to admit that I have a lot of conversion to undergo in my life.

But then we have to bring Jesus to the culture. We have to bring Jesus to all who want that wonderful experience of Christ and His love.”

Listen to the full discussion below:

St. Joseph’s Workshop with Fr. Matthew Spencer airs weekdays at 7:00 p.m. Eastern/4:00 p.m. Pacific on Relevant Radio®.