Our life contains many hills, valleys, and torturous ways which we can actually only put right by repentance. Repentance fills up the valleys, lays low the mountains, makes straight and smooth the way. We are called to lower the mountains of our pride and fill in the valleys or ditches of tepidness and fear. But first we need to recognize that we, good as we may be, need to repent. We are all sinners and in need of God's mercy!

We need to be humble as John the Baptist was humble, admitting that as brilliant as we may be, we, too, are not worthy to unfasten Jesus' sandal strap. Only in accepting our need for God, our need for each other, only in asking for help from God and help from each other, can we find the comfort which God wants to give us, only then will we be able to hear the tender words God desires to speak to us which will ease our fears and console us. We don't have to exist on honey and locusts or dress in camel's hair to offer comfort, to prepare the way. What we do need to do is clean up our act and do it today and not put it off until tomorrow.