2 Advent Reflections

 

 

183.doc

Scripture: Lectionary 183. Tues of Second Week of Advent.  Isaiah 40:1-11. Psalm 96. Matthew 18:12-14:

Have you ever held a young lamb in your arms or possibly a soft furry rabbit? They are so frail, nervous, and yet so tender that our love flows out from the experience of how good God is in making these wonderful creatures.  In their early months they need much care and even help in getting them to eat. For the little lamb a dropper of milk often is the start.

Jesus considers children, the orphans, the sinners, and us just as easily as we can enjoy holding the lamb and the rabbit.  He tells us, "It is not the will of my Father in heaven that one of these little ones be lost. Jesus is actually referring to us, especially when we have been discouraged, or have sinned, or simply wandered off on some wrong path and fell into a briar patch. We sometimes lull ourselves into thinking that we have it made spiritually and in truth we are more in a rut with prayer, relationships, and even attentive to work or ministry. We can waste time without realizing how precious it is and how it could be a time for really helping others or deepening our relationship with God.  This Advent season calls us to think about the spiritual journey and to head toward what Isaiah, John the Baptist, and Mary will be pointing out to us and leading us to the manger.

Often we lose the way because we are seemingly fully contended with ourselves and our comfortable situation. We often are straying from the Way who is the right way (the Truth) and the grace-filled Life we really need during this season of hope, of waiting and of patience.  We delude ourselves in not realizing we are like the little lamb or the trembling rabbit—a lost one if Jesus is not holding us. We may be resisting his care and his love for us who are just as fragile and in need as these two little animals.

During Advent we need to focus on the coming of Christ both at the beginning of his life as a baby born of Mary in Bethlehem or to his final coming at the end of our lives. Our own mortality and death is a prelude to the Second Coming and in reality is the end of the world for us.  It does not have the apocalyptic description of the Gospel or the Book of Revelation but it is as real as the Second Coming. Perhaps, that is why even in some Christmas nativities there is a symbol of the Passion and Death of Jesus hinted at in the scene of the baby wrapped in swaddling clothes that are similar to the burial shroud in the first centuries. 

Our rationalizations, our doubts, and our sins can lead us away from the hope and inherent joy of Advent. We fall into the brambles and need the help of Jesus.  He will come in a special coming into our hearts this very day if we are attentive to his whispers, his calls, and the graces he surprises us with each day.  We need to be aware of even false shepherds who could lead us away and not give us the tender care of the Good Shepherd who like God holds us and the whole world in his hands. The rabbit and the little lamb do not have a corner on the market when it comes to God's loving care and providence.

Jesus alone is the shepherd who will leave the flock to find us. We need to ask ourselves why do I hide from him?  Let us listen to his voice and not be hard hearted: "I will look after you as a shepherd, for I am the Lord." If today you hear my voice, harden not your hearts." (Psalm 95:1). Amen.

184.doc

Scripture: Lectionary 184: Isaiah 40:25-31. Psalm 103:1-2.3-4.8.10.  Matthew 11:28-30:  Wed. of second week of Advent:

During Advent we are greeted at times with very short passages that are very powerful. Today's passage from Matthew is unique in this respect and is associated with the wisdom and the gentleness of Jesus. We all are learners as disciples and this passage helps us to keep on learning about our discipleship from the living voice of our Teacher, Jesus.  Matthew is the good news (gospel) that presents Jesus as the Great Teacher, a new Moses. 

Our discipleship is a lifelong learning process that often has its hard times and at times some great times of comfort and peace.  Advent reflection is the season for pondering over our call to discipleship after the example of Mary, the mother of Jesus.  Of course, we also learn from the apostles how to travel as a disciple of the Lord without losing our confidence that we will reach the end of the pilgrimage some day.

Though Jesus is speaking the poor and probably to the scribes and Pharisees on this occasion, we also are privileged to hear his voice through the sacred inspired Scriptures. We all are after all learners and we continue our education in discipleship by learning how to live more and more under the direction of the Holy Spirit and Jesus.  Both are inspirational teachers. Continuing education in our faith life is part of our call to discipleship.

Today we hear some of the most comforting words ever spoken by Jesus to us.  We cherish what we are hearing this day in the Gospel.  These words help us to bear our burdens and our responsibilities together with the Lord. He helps us not to focus exclusively on ourselves.  Jesus refreshes us and renews us with his wisdom words and his understanding of how much we need to be consoled and comforted.  The words are significant for our devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus and to our understanding of how close he is with us in our limited human condition.  We have seen how he helps us to carry our burdens for he himself has carried them in his heart.  We have seen recently how he as a wounded healer first heals our wounds before paying attention to his own.

His gentleness and his humbleness of heart prompt us not to be afraid to allow Jesus to take over our lives and to lead us to his heavenly Father.  Rest and peace follow whenever we truly handover our lives to the Lord.  We as disciples do savor all that flows from his mouth; his words are alive each day and we only need to take the time to listen to them.

Whatever the "yoke" of our life may be, the Lord carries it with us. We place our troubles before him. They may be our guilt feelings or our struggle with difficult burdens of legalism, injustice toward us because of our color or our beliefs, and even financial setbacks that lead us toward despair and a sense of abandonment.  Jesus' voice however breaks through these heavy weights in our life and leads us to hope in his strong comforting promises.  He is always with us even to the end of our days as Emmanuel, God-with-us.  We pause this day and think then of Jesus' gentleness which is the opposite of roughness. He is never overbearing in his demands of wisdom because he has a human heart that knows no limits and embraces all of us.  He truly is gentle and humble of heart. Amen.