Certainly Mother Theresa was one of the greatest spiritual leaders of our time. Many years ago Mother Theresa was to open a mission in New York City. A building was chosen and the diocese had it renovated. They had it spruced up with a fresh coat of paint. They put in new carpeting. They put in a large hot water heaters for the nuns. On the day the bishop drove up to visit Mother Theresa and the newly arrived nuns, he was greeted by a pile of trash on the curb. They had torn out the new carpet and the hot water heaters. Mother Theresa thanked the bishop but she never wavered in her conviction. If they are to serve the poor in the richest city in the richest country in the world then they must live simply. They prepared for their work by simplifying their lives. Their spiritual grounding depends upon their simplicity of life.

The advent message is prepare. But it is not helpful if I just tell you to prepare. It is hard to know what proper preparation looks like until I see the lives of John the Baptist and Mother Teresa. They prepared themselves with simplicity. Any place and time that you and I simplify our lives, we open up room for God to move. We open up room for God to speak to us.