Advent is a very spiritual time. It’s a beautiful time for prayer and reflecting on the mysteries of Christmas and the coming of Jesus. Our faith offers an abundance of refreshment for the soul. Yet, we are more than just spirits. We have bodies and exist concretely in the world. The story of Christmas is not just an idea. When God chose to dwell among us, he really came among us…became one of us. God had always been present “spiritually” in the world, but at Christmas he actually became a part of our physical world.

So, while Advent is a spiritual time, it can’t just be an idea in our head. We need to do some actual concrete things this season to prepare to welcome Jesus. The Scriptures today use the example of preparing a way for God. Leveling mountains, filling in low places, making a smooth highway for God. To make this spiritual idea a reality, it means that we’ve got to do some spiritual road construction on our lives. We’ve all got some potholes that need some attention. Let’s use the time we have left to start taking some concrete steps to make some real changes. Let’s fix those potholes before they get too big.