IMMINENT COMING OF THE LORD
First Reading : Isaiah 35: 1-6 and 10
Second Reading: James 5: 7-10
Gospel Reading: Matthew 11: 1-11
*First reading is from the book of Prophet Isaiah. Isaiah foretells the return of the people of Israel from the Babylonian captivity as the Lord God rescues them. Isaiah urges us that we too should look beyond our sorrows and disappointments of the present with great hope in God's love and His saving actions in our lives. The Prophet encourages us to cheer up and not be afraid because the Lord God will save us.
*Second reading is from the letter of St. James. The Apostle stresses the quality which all of us find it hard to obtain- patience. He urges us to be loving and patient with one another and be patient regarding the Lord's final coming. He gives us the example of the prophets who underwent various sufferings but always went about patiently.
Are you the one who is to come? Today's Gospel reading is from St. Matthew. The predicament of John the Baptist regarding Jesus is narrated. All of us have some unfulfilled hopes and unanswered prayers and John too faced a problem regarding the identity of Jesus. "Are you the one or shall we look for another?" is the question put by John. Hopes of John the Baptist regarding Jesus as the promised Messiah is not entirely fulfilled. John is imprisoned by Herod. In the prison, he is confused about Jesus. The question put by John is raised by many even today. Jesus' answer to the messengers of John is to observe what is happening around them. Jesus asks them to tell John concerning their experience of Him: Sight to the blind, lame walking, dead are raised to life and the good news being preached to the poor. Are there such experiences in our lives that would make us commit to Jesus? Today Jesus gives us the same message- to look around and see the presence of God and His benevolent power among us. Look around and see God's mighty manifestations of love and the great power of God in the universe. When our hopes are broken and our dreams are shattered, let us not get disappointed and disheartened but rather place our total trust in the Lord.
"A prison cell, is which one awaits, hopes- and is completely dependent on the fact that the door to freedom has to be opened from outside, is not a bad picture of advent." - Dietrich Bonhoeffer
"Want to keep Christ in Christmas? Feed the hungry, clothe the naked, forgive the guilty, welcome the unwanted, care for the ill, love your enemies and do unto others as you would have done unto you." - S. Maraboli
No comments:
Post a Comment