Many people don't realize the extent of the preparations involved when the President of the United States makes a visit to a local community. A raft of Secret Service personnel check out every building along the route he will travel and near the place he will be appearing. They go over each building with a fine tooth comb from roof to basement in their efforts to prepare for his safety. They are called "Advance Men." They work invisibly behind the scenes to make sure that everything is ready for the big event that is about to take place.

In today's Gospel we encounter an "advance man." However, he's not a member of the Secret Service. He's not preparing for a visit from a head of state. He's not checking out parade routes to assure their safety. He is telling us to get ready for a visit from the most important person in human history. His name is John the Baptist. We are told that "he came as a witness to testify to the light." He is God's Advance Man.