John the Baptist goes ahead of the Lord. He prepares in the wilderness a way for the Lord. This is a straight highway with winding turns made straight, valleys filled up, and mountains made low to level it.

Thus, this highway is a highway in the contemporary sense - a straight and level road that makes driving smooth and fast. The Way is smooth and fast so that Jesus can come easily and quickly.

In the second reading, we hear, "The Lord is not being slow to carry out His promises." Indeed, the Lord comes quickly to fulfil His promises.

Advent is an opportune time to prepare a straight path for the Lord. We reflect on removing all obstacles in the Lord's Way preventing Him from coming to us. All the crooked ways in our lives and society's lives must be straightened out. Then, our Lord can come quickly to heal us and bring us hope.

John also mentions that someone who comes after him is more powerful than him, and he is not fit even to undo His sandals. John goes ahead of the Lord, who is more significant than he is.

Each of us must also remember that we prepare ourselves to receive the Lord, who is more powerful than we are. We should have that humility to accept that the One coming to us is the greatest One, that is, the Lord God. Let us accommodate the Lord in our lives.