Vigils Reading

PREPARE THE WAY OF THE LORD

From a homily by Origen

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We read in the Old Testament, in the prophet Isaiah: “A voice of one

crying in the wilderness…” For the Lord wishes to find in you a way prepared

before him, where he may enter in, and have there a right-of-way. Prepare for

him this path, of which it is written: “Make straight his path.”

The Voice cries: “Prepare the way of the Lord.” First the voice strikes

upon the year, then after the voice, indeed together with the voice, the word

penetrates the mind. In this way was Christ announced by John. Let us then

hear what the Voice announces concerning the Word. “Prepare,” it says, “the

way of the Lord.” Which way shall we prepare for the Lord? A way on the earth?

Can the Word of God travel such road? Or rather must we not prepare the way

within us, setting up in our hearts a straight and true way?

This is the way through which the Word of God enters, and comes to rest

within the bounds of the human body. And great indeed is the heart of man,

wide and spacious as if it were a world in itself. Do you wish to know how great

and how profound it is? Behold what a sweep of divine knowledge it can

embrace: “For he has given me true knowledge of the things that are: to know

the disposition of the whole world, and the virtues of the elements, the

beginnings and the endings and midst of the times, the alterations of their

courses, and the changes of the seasons, revolutions of the year, and the

dispositions of the stars, the natures of living creatures, and the reasonings of

men.”

See then that the heart of man, which can contain so much, is no small

thing. And see also that its greatness is not in bodily quantity, but in the power

by which it can receive such knowledge of the truth. Let me recall to you a

simple example from our daily life, so that you may see how great is this power.

Let us consider this: through whatever cities we may have passed, we have still

within our minds the style and the shape of their squares and houses and walls

and buildings, stored in our memory. We keep within us, as in the picture, the

roads we have traveled. The sea we have voyaged over we can recall in moments

of quiet recollection. No small thing, as I have said, is the heart of man.

If it then can contain so much, and is not something small and narrow,

then let a way for the Lord be prepared in it, and let his path be made straight, so

that the Word of God and his Wisdom may enter there. Prepare this way by a

worthy manner of living, and with good works make straight the path, so that

without hindrance the word of God may tread this way to you, and give you

understanding, both of his coming and of his mysteries, to whom be glory and

empire forever and ever.