Preparing the Table for the Lord

December 10, 2024 - Tuesday of the Second Week of Advent

Margaret Anna Cusack (1829-1899) was the foundress of the Sisters of St. Joseph of Peace. She was a prolific writer and advocate for social justice issues emphasizing the call for peace in our world and within ourselves. Mother Cusack established her congregation of sisters in Nottingham, England (yes, of Robin Hood fame) and they eventually made their way over here to the states settling in Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey (Archdiocese of Newark) and Seattle, Washington. Today the Sisters of St. Joseph of Peace continue the charism of Mother Cusack in a multitude of ministries that assist the poor, the sick, the immigrant and other areas of social justice. They cry out in the desert of society raising people’s consciousness for peace and justice in the world.

The prophet Isaiah in the first reading today recalls the prophet’s vocation to prepare the way for the Lord to come into the world. The Messiah to come will bring comfort to His people and will bring life giving water to the parched desert of society. In this image from Isaiah the Prophet we see the figure of St. John the Baptist, the precursor for Jesus who helped prepare the way of the Lord for the Messiah to come. In her writings, Margaret Anna Cusack wrote a reflection on this passage for Advent. She writes:

    “Consider the exceeding love of Jesus in sending a messenger to prepare His way. When earthly monarchs undertake a journey to a distant part of their dominions, they send messengers before them. These messengers are charged to provide for all their comforts, to remove every obstacle to their advancement, and to warn the people of their approach, that they may conceal all that would prove offensive to royal eyes, banish all semblance of sorrow, and take part in public rejoicings. But our sweet Infant Jesus has no such purpose in sending messengers before His face. Oh,no, His messenger is not charged to see to His comforts, for our coming King, our sweet Infant Jesus, has renounced all comforts. His messenger is to assemble the unhappy, the miserable and make them happy and feel welcomed…”

There is the key to preparing the way for the Lord, to bring happiness and joy and to make all feel welcomed. The heart of hospitality is to bring love and joy to others and make them feel welcomed. When we put this into action we prepare the way for the Lord in our world today. At the table of the Lord all are welcome, all have a place let us herald this message of preparation this Advent season.

O God, who have shown forth Your salvation to all the ends of the earth,

grant, we pray, that we may look forward in joy to the glorious Nativity of Christ.

Who lives and reigns with You in unity of the Holy Spirit, God, for ever and ever. Amen.  (Roman Missal)

Rev. Dominic Ciriaco, D.Min., Director of Preaching as Hospitality Formation Program, Immaculate Conception Seminary School of Theology

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