Advent Reflection, Third Sunday, Dec. 11th, 2016
“I
once was lost but now I’m found… was blind but now I see.”
~
Amazing Grace
Each week of
Advent the readings reveal another aspect of the long-awaited Messiah. He is depicted
as the Just Judge, the King of Peace, the One who will baptize with the Holy
Spirit and Fire.
Today, Jesus is
described as the Healer. Isaiah promises that “the eyes of the blind be opened,
the ears of the deaf be cleared; then will the lame leap like a stag… the
tongue of the mute will sing.” Jesus echoes those prophesies in His reply to
the disciples of John the Baptist, who approach Him to ask if He is the
promised Messiah: “Go and tell John what you hear and see: the blind regain their sight, the lame walk,
lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the poor have the
good news proclaimed to them.”
This dimension
of our Savior is the one I have encountered. He is my help and salvation. So
many times I have been blind to the truth, and He gently opened my eyes. I have
been deaf to the needs of my brother, and His quiet whisper stirred my heart to
action. How often I have stumbled along, unable to find the path to Him, and He
took my hand and led me; I have been silent when I should speak out against injustice,
and His Holy Spirit inspired me to begin speaking. And every day in our
wonderful Church, we, the poorest of the poor, have the Good News proclaimed to
us. In our Church, where Christ is present to us until the end of time, we are
cleansed of sin and raised up to new life.
Jesus, the
Merciful Healer, remains with us in the Sacraments, in Scripture, and in the healing
hands and forgiving hearts of our brothers and sisters. Do you need healing? Turn
to Him, trust in His mighty power and His merciful heart, and you will find
peace, joy, and new life – even – perhaps especially – in times of suffering
and hardship.
Readings, Third Sunday of Advent, December 11th, 2016
Is
35:1-6a, 10 ~ Ps 146:6-7, 8-9, 9-10 ~ Jas
5:7-10 ~ Mt 11:2-11
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