In a trip to Egypt, I noticed that after a 9-hour road trip, nothing changed in the scenery. It was all sand, rocks, and cacti. It was only then that I realized how blessed is the Philippines. Any 9-hour travel would show how rich the country is in water, mountains, plants, trees, and birds.

It is said that almost 1/3 of the world is desert. A place that is so hard to live in.

Talking about the Desert, in the Gospel we hear of John the Baptist living in the desert. Certainly, it was not easy for him. Three  things we have to deal with:

1. Food and water were very limited. How many people actually die in the desert from hunger and thirst? Certainly, John the Baptist felt this difficult experience.
2. Danger. The animals can be dangerous. The people you encounter can be dangerous and even the weather can be dangerous – at night it is very cold and in the day time it is very hot.
3. Loneliness. With nobody around, loneliness becomes a reality.

Yet, despite John the Baptist experiencing all of this, what was his message? “Prepare the ways of the Lord. Make straight his path.”

Why such a message? It is because John the Baptist experienced the faithfulness of God.

Hence this is the challenge for us to prepare:

1. Our relationship with God through prayer.
2. Our relationship with others through good works.
3. Our relationship with ourselves by being good stewards of God’s blessings.