Messenger and Message:
The Crooked and Straight, The Rough and Smooth

The voice of one crying out in the wilderness: Prepare the way of the Lord, and make his paths straight. Every valley shall be filled, and every mountain and hill shall be made low, and the crooked shall be made straight, and the rough ways made smooth…– Luke: 3: 4b-5 (NRSV)

Familiar words, the verses printed above, especially memorable and savored as they are sung by golden voices at Christmastime. The gospel writer reaches back to the prophet Isaiah as authenticating testimony to the hope heard in the messenger’s voice crying in the wilderness. The messenger is John, the son of Zechariah and Elizabeth, he who is called the Baptist, he who calls out to prepare the way.

I have always loved the images in this passage with its promise of conquering the challenges of deep valleys and steep mountains, the straightening of the crooked and the smoothing of the rough places on the way to the salvation of the world. If we can believe in the prophecy, the realization of all we hope for becomes awesomely possible. Yet, because we are constantly, relentlessly confronted with the terrible reality of a suffering world, many of us struggle daily to have faith in the possibility of healing and blessing.

I am deeply troubled by the pessimism of many who have lost belief in the future and I sometimes count myself among them. There are days when I want to escape from reality. Yet I know that I must not become one of the ignorantly or self-interestedly comfortable. What could be worse than adopting the attitudes of those who focus only on what is “good’ for ourselves, protecting what supports our advantaged lifestyles? Yet, just as frightening was a recent conversation among a group of generally progressive friends who could see no hope for the conflicts and injustices in the world. I truly don’t want to be in either camp although I admit that I have a foot in both.

I badly need to hear the cry from the wilderness in order to live with purpose and integrity. I look every day for the messenger who will inspire and encourage me to trust and hope and care and work. I think that some of us who have been around for a while probably need a “sixties renewal” that calls us to act. This because we not only know that it can make a difference, but because of what is right and just and because we are called to do so. Of course, it is always foolish to try to regain the past. But some of us can remember what moved and challenged us decades ago and enlist ourselves once again in the message of hope.