Sandals Series

Advent beckons us into a sacred space of anticipation, where we prepare for the multifaceted coming of the Lord—his sacramental arrival at Christmas, his individual visitation at the end of our lives, and his collective advent at the culmination of time. Yet, what if we were told that the Christ we await is already in our midst, walking among us as one of us? The profound impact of such awareness is illustrated in a story that unfolds, revealing the transformative difference recognizing Christ's presence can make in our lives, both individually and as communities.

In today's gospel, John the Baptist endeavors to deliver this powerful message to the Jews eagerly awaiting the Messiah. His words echo through time: "Among you stands one whom you do not know, the one who is coming after me; I am not worthy to untie the thong of his sandal" (John 1:26-27).

The reason the Jews of that era struggled to recognize Jesus as the Messiah lies in their preconceived notions about how the Messiah would appear. Envisioned as a divine force descending in power and glory, the Messiah was expected to establish his reign by vanquishing Israel's adversaries. He would emerge unexpectedly, shrouded in mystery, and none would know his origin except that he hailed from God (John 7:27). Consequently, when Jesus did come, born of a known woman within their community, he eluded recognition. He seemed too ordinary, too familiar, too unremarkable.

Two millennia later, the question resonates: Can we now discern Christ in the midst of ordinary men and women, with their unassuming habits, diverse backgrounds, and unimpressive appearances?

Imagine the impact of a collective revelation, where we unveil the divine within the ordinary. What if we recognized the sacred spark within the mundane routines of our lives, in the faces of those we encounter daily? This awareness has the potential to revolutionize our perspectives, prompting us to see the extraordinary in the seemingly commonplace.

Christ, once concealed in the folds of everyday life, now stands revealed. The carpenter's hands that shaped wood echo in the hands of artisans crafting their trade. The quiet, unassuming acts of kindness mirror the compassion of the one who healed the sick and comforted the weary. The ordinary faces we pass on the street may bear the imprint of the divine.

Yet, recognizing Christ in the ordinary demands a shift in our paradigms. It urges us to set aside preconceived notions and embrace the unexpected vessels through which the sacred may manifest. The challenge persists—are we willing to see the extraordinary within the ordinary, to acknowledge the divine in the familiar faces that surround us?

Advent, then, becomes a journey of unveiling—a sacred pilgrimage into the depths of our hearts and the heart of our communities. It invites us to cast away the limitations of expectations, allowing the light of recognition to pierce through the veil of the commonplace. As we prepare for the advent of the Lord, may we find the courage to perceive the divine in the ordinary, to embrace the extraordinary within the familiar. In doing so, we become active participants in a cosmic revelation, where the sacred and the everyday converge, transforming the ordinary into the extraordinary, and the familiar into the divine. Let the heart of Jesus reside in all our hearts. Amen.