With the Second Sunday of Advent comes that voice crying out in the wilderness, “Prepare the way of the Lord.”  Mark opens his Gospel with the echo of the Prophet Isaiah’s words as John the baptizer appears “in the wilderness, proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. (Mark1:4)  John’s proclamation: “The one who is more powerful than I is coming after me; I am not worthy to stoop down and untie the thong of his sandals.