How Can I Prepare The Way For The Lord?

The Annunciation by Caravaggio

As another Advent begins today, this is the question I find myself pondering. The Church teaches us that in the first half of this holy season we are to prepare for Christ's coming at the end of time. Today's readings, especially the Gospel certainly illustrate this. No one knows the hour or the day of our Lord's second coming (despite what the Mayan calendar says), so all the more reason to be prepared~not in anxious worry, but in quiet, prayerful preparation and in hopeful anticipation.
I often think of our Blessed Mother during these four weeks. I guess you could say her Advent lasted nine months! Maybe it was even longer because in reality her whole life led to this moment. When the Angel Gabriel appeared to her to ask her if she would be the Mother of God, she gave her fiat and then began to prepare.
This is what Advent is for; to prepare our hearts and minds for our Lord's coming, not just at Christmas, for in the fullness of time that has already occurred, but also for when He comes again in all His glory at the end of time.
So as this season of preparation, anticipation and hope begins, ask yourself this same question, "How can I prepare the way for the Lord in my own heart?" Ask Our Lady to help you, for it is always her greatest desire to bring us to her Son. The three kings followed the star in Bethlehem, may we find the Christ child by following the light of the Virgin Mary, for the light she reflects is that of Jesus, the Light of the World.

Dear Blessed Mother,
As we begin this holy season, help us to prepare our hearts and minds for the coming of your Beloved Son, Jesus. May we give our "yes" to God as you did so that we may give birth to Christ in our own day and time.
We ask this through the same Christ our Lord.
Amen.

Have a Blessed Advent!