Opening the Gates for the King

The Road to Readiness

Scripture Reading: Psalm96

For He comes, for He comes to judge the earth. 

He will judge the world in righteousness 

and the peoples in His faithfulness.

Psalm 96:13

Four days before the Nativity, the air was thick with the dust of the road as Mary and Joseph journeyed toward Bethlehem. While the exact location of their camp is lost to history, they were likely navigating the rugged descent of the Jordan River Valley or beginning the steep, grueling ascent toward the Judean hill country. Far from the cozy, stationary scenes we often imagine, their reality was one of physical strain and deep uncertainty, governed by a profound and quiet obedience. As Mary and Joseph moved through the wilderness, they carried with them the physical weight of the hope of the world, teaching us that readiness for God’s arrival rarely looks like perfect comfort. Instead, it is found in the steady, faithful steps of those who trust that God is moving even when the road is long and the destination is not yet in sight.

In the light of Psalm 96, we are invited to "open the gates" for the King of Glory, yet we must remember that these gates are often the most guarded corners of our own hearts. While the psalmist calls the heavens to rejoice and the trees of the forest to sing, we see this cosmic praise reflected in the Holy Family’s surrender to a divine plan that disrupted their entire lives. To be truly "ready" for Christ is to move beyond mere sentimentality and into a posture of expectant praise—a praise that acknowledges God’s sovereignty over the nations while inviting His intimate, holy presence into our own weariness and exhaustion.

As we enter these final days of Advent, we are called to examine the closed spaces within ourselves where we have shut the doors to God’s transforming grace. True preparation is not found in the completion of a holiday list, but in the widening of our souls to receive the One who comes to judge the world with righteousness and truth. May we, like Mary and Joseph on that dusty road, offer our lives as an open gate, welcoming the King of Glory into our midst with hearts that are prepared, expectant, and joyfully undone by His coming.

Prayer

Heavenly Father, as the road to Christmas grows shorter, may the gates of our hearts swing wider. Grant us the endurance of Joseph and the surrender of Mary. When the journey feels long or the way feels crowded, help us to sing the "new song" of Your faithfulness. Come, King of Glory, and make Your home in us. Amen.