Sometimes, when faced with life’s circumstances, we drift away from ourselves and from God.
Sometimes it’s out of pride or curiosity; other times out of irresponsibility or boredom; or simply because we feel disappointed or discouraged. All of this reminds us that our lives are often marked by distances—and by returns.
Even today, some forces drive us away from home: injustice, rebellion, betrayal, mistrust. Situations that make us run, hide, or pull back.
The people of Israel experienced exile—just as we do. As they fled, so have we. And when we look back, we often realize we’ve wandered farther than we ever intended.
Advent is a season of return. God wants us to prepare the way because His desire is always to bring us back.
He is the One who seeks us out; He is the One who comes to us. He has never stopped searching for us, even when we have distorted the meaning of our lives. The Word of God arrives, becomes incarnate, takes shape in history—right in the concrete reality of each of our lives.
1) A History of Desert and Struggle
The history of Israel was painful—marked by conflict, power struggles, exile, and doubts about whether God was truly with them.
The world before Christ was full of turmoil; nothing seemed clear. Yet even in that darkness, the Word of God broke through, illuminating everything. Today, that same Word comes again, seeking to transform our history.
2) A Voice Inviting Us to Return
That Word reaches us through John the Baptist. It comes through a beautiful paradox: the voice of the son of a man who once could not speak. Yesterday and today, God reminds us that salvation is often found in the most unexpected places.
John proclaims the Word where no one lives—out in the desert. If we want to hear it, we must step away from places of power and conflict and go to where there seems to be nothing.
Going to the desert means returning to our own history—remembering, reflecting, rediscovering ourselves. Israel crossed the desert on their way to the Promised Land. It was there they faced their greatest fears; yet it was also there they experienced the most intimate moments with God: receiving the Law and sealing the covenant of deep union with Him. For us, the desert of Advent is that uncultivated land—a place where a new path can begin.
3) Accepting the Word
Today, John invites us to enter our own deserts to straighten our paths and find new meaning in our lives. He calls us to fill in the valleys of disappointment and discouragement. He urges us to level the mountains of pride that keep us from seeing the Lord. We are called to smooth the rocky terrain of our hearts and break through the mistrust that can trap us.
The Voice and the Word—John and Jesus—come to us and speak to us. But it is up to us to create the conditions that allow this Word to be heard. Let us return. Let us prepare the way. Let us seek God—not because everything is perfect, but so that in the midst of our crises, rebellions, and confusion, the Lord may lead us along a new road: the path of His salvation.