A voice cries out: In the desert prepare a place for the Lord! Make straight in the wasteland a highway for our God. ~Luke 3:4
“Friendly Grasshopper” Kristina Lishawa Photography
A few years back, I coordinated several ministry programs in a large Catholic church. Every Advent, an older parishner named “Norb” would dress up like John the Baptist. As 150 children gathered in a large hall, along with teachers and parents, Norb appeared in all his glory. With greying hair and rimmed glasses, Norb was dressed in a long fur coat with fringe. While carrying rubber grasshoppers and a jar of honey, he called out in a loud voice:
“Prepare the way of the Lord.”
The kids clapped and cheered for the man they called Grandpa Norb.
Last year, Grandpa Norb went home to be with the Lord. At his funeral, I couldn’t help but smile. Like John the Baptist, he prepared “a place for the Lord” in the hearts of us all.
We are all called to proclaim the word of God, in our own special way, as Norb did. But if the thought of sharing the Gospel makes you fearful, don’t be dismayed. In the Kingdom of God, sometimes all you need is a fur coat, some rubber grasshoppers, and a room filled with kids.
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