"Blessed are the eyes which see what you see!" 1st week of Advent

Gospel Reading: Luke 10:21-24 - In that same hour he rejoiced in the Holy Spirit and said, "I thank you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that you have hidden these things from the wise and understanding and revealed them to babes; yes, Father, for such was your gracious will. All things have been delivered to me by my Father; and no one knows who the Son is except the Father, or who the Father is except the Son and  any one to whom the Son chooses to reveal him." Then turning to the disciples he said privately, "Blessed are the eyes which see what you see! For I tell you that many prophets and kings desired to see what you see, and did not see it, and to hear what you hear, and did not hear it."

Old Testament Reading: Isaiah 11:1-10: There shall come forth a shoot from the stump of Jesse, and a branch shall grow out of his roots. And the Spirit of the LORD shall rest upon him, the spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of counsel and might, the spirit of knowledge and the fear of the LORD. And his delight shall be in the fear of the LORD. He shall not judge by what his eyes see, or decide by what his ears hear; but with righteousness he shall judge the poor, and decide with equity for the meek of the earth;  and he shall smite the earth with the rod of his mouth, and with the breath of his lips he shall slay the wicked. Righteousness shall be the girdle of his waist, and faithfulness the girdle of his loins. The wolf shall dwell with the lamb, and the leopard shall lie down with the kid, and the calf and the lion and the fatling together, and a little child shall lead them. The cow and the bear shall feed; their young shall lie down together; and the lion shall eat straw like the ox. The sucking child shall play over the hole of the asp, and the weaned child shall put his hand on the adder's den. They shall not hurt or destroy in all my holy mountain; for the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the LORD as the waters cover the sea. In that day the root of Jesse shall stand as an ensign to the peoples; him shall the nations seek, and his dwellings shall be glorious.

Meditation: How does God bring his kingdom to us? Jesus remarked that many prophets and kings before him longed to see and understand God's plan for establishing his kingdom. When King David’s throne was overthrown and vacant for centuries, God promised, nonetheless, to raise up a new king from the stump of Jesse, the father of David. This messianic king would rule forever because the Spirit of God would rest upon him and remain with him (Isaiah 11:1). Isaiah prophesied that the Messiah would be equipped with the gifts of the Spirit – with wisdom, understanding, counsel, might, knowledge, and fear of the Lord (Isaiah 11:2 – for an explanation of the gifts see this helpful article). This king would establish the kingdom of God, not by force of human will and military power, but by offering his life as the atoning sacrifice for the sin of the world. Through his death on the cross, Jesus, the true Messiah King, would defeat Satan, overcome death, and win pardon and reconcilliation for sinners. God's plan of redemption included not only the Jewish people but all the nations of the earth as well. Through his death and resurrection Jesus makes us citizens of heaven and friends of God. The Lord Jesus wants us to live in joyful hope and confident expectation that he will come again to fully establish his kingdom of righteousness and peace.

What does Jesus' prayer (Luke 10:21-22) tell us about God and about ourselves? First, it tells us that God is both Father and Lord of earth as well as heaven. He is both Creator and Author of all that he has made, the first origin of everything and transcendent authority, and at the same time, goodness and loving care for all his children. All fatherhood and motherhood are derived from him (Ephesians 3:14-15). Jesus' prayer also contains a warning that pride can keep us from the love and knowledge of God. Pride closes the mind to God's truth and wisdom for our lives. Jesus contrasts pride with child-like simplicity and humility. The simple of heart are like "babes" in the sense that they see purely without pretense and acknowledge their dependence and trust in God who is the source of all wisdom and strength. They seek one thing – the "summum bonum" or "greatest good" which is God himself. Simplicity of heart is wedded with humility, the queen of virtues, because humility inclines the heart towards grace and truth. Just as pride is the root of every sin and evil we can conceive, so humility is the only soil in which the grace of God can take root. It alone takes the right attitude before God and allows him as God to do all. "God opposes the proud, but gives grace to the humble" (Prov. 3:34, James 4:6). The grace of Christ-like humility inclines us towards God and disposes us to receive God's wisdom, grace, and help. Nothing can give us greater joy than the knowledge that we are God's beloved and that our names are written in heaven (Luke 10:20).

 

Refection question: Do you seek God's wisdom and grace with humility and trust?

Jesus makes a claim which no one would have dared to make: He is the perfect revelation of God. Our knowledge of God is not simply limited to knowing something about God – who he is and what he is like. We can know God personally and be united with him in a relationship of love, trust, and friendship. Jesus makes it possible for each of us to personally know God as our Father. To see Jesus is to see what God is like. In Jesus we see the perfect love of God – a God who cares intensely and who yearns over men and women, loving them to the point of laying down his life for them upon the cross.

 

Reflection question: Do you pray to your Father in heaven with joy and confidence in his love and care for you?

Prayer: "Lord Jesus, give me the child-like simplicity and purity of faith to gaze upon your face with joy and confidence in your all-merciful love. Remove every doubt, fear, and proud thought which would hinder me from receiving your word with trust and humble submission." Amen.

Peace and all good,

Brother Ed, OFM

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DECEMBER 2013: PAY ATTENTION THIS MONTH...

...to your feet! Huh? This wise advice came to me secondhand recently, reported by a friend whose client declared his new watchword to be, Know where your feet are. While this is good advice for football players trying for a first down, it's also the best counsel for a sane and even joyful path through the holiday season. Thinking back over this year, I realized that my every literal or metaphorical stumble has resulted from my mind being ahead of my feet or even completely detached from my feet. Our feet can only move just so fast. They relay us vital information about exactly where we are. Try this: Between now and January 1, make a practice of not getting ahead of your feet. http://stagathas.org/blog/Adventurers-with-the-Lord/THE-NEW-JERUSALEM-2 The link above is from Billy Edwards - good stuff!!! It's from Fr. Bill Axe, OSST Parish Priest Fr. Bill Axe, OSST: (323) 935-8127 ext. 223 - After Hours (323) 398-6964 wx007@aol.com _____________________________________________________________________________ Announcements:   Tau House community meeting will be Sunday, December 22, 2013 at 5:00 P.M. at  the Who Dat Coffee Café 2401 Burgundy St, New Orleans, LA 70117 In the Marigny. (504) 872-0360 - we will meet in the back area of the coffee house. (This place is not set in stone - but for the time being we will say this is the place hat could work very well). We will meet in the back room for fellowship and prayer. ______________________________________________________________________________ Reflections on Advent by Father Paul Gallagher, OFM John 1:6-8, 19-28   6. A man named John was sent from God. 7. He came for testimony, to testify to the light, so that all might believe through him. 8. He was not the light, but came to testify to the light. 19. And this is the testimony of John. When the Jews from Jerusalem sent priests and Levites (to him) to ask him, "Who are you?" 20. he admitted and did not deny it, but admitted, "I am not the Messiah." 21. So they asked him, "What are you then? Are you Elijah?" And he said, "I am not." "Are you the Prophet?" He answered, "No." 22. So they said to him, "Who are you, so we can give an answer to those who sent us? What do you have to say for yourself?” He said: 23, "I am 'the voice of one crying out in the desert, "Make straight the way of the Lord,"' as Isaiah the prophet said." 24. Some Pharisees were also sent. 25. They asked him, "Why then do you baptize if you are not the Messiah or Elijah or the Prophet?" 26. John answered them, "I baptize with water; but there is one among you whom you do not recognize, 27 the one who is coming after me, whose sandal strap I am not worthy to untie." 28. This happened in Bethany across the Jordan, where John was baptizing.   Background: John’s father, Zechariah, was a highly respected rural priest. In a society where a person’s role and status in the community is largely based on one’s family, John is acting out of character. He should be acting like a respectable member of a priestly family. However, his behavior is that of a disgruntled priest who became separated from the aristocratic priests of Jerusalem. The wealth and behavior of the aristocratic priests alienated them from some of the rural priests. John’s appearance and way of life seemed more like the typical prophet, seeking to speak God’s will.   The priests and Pharisees have come to John to discover who he is. Who is this person, out in the desert, calling people to repentance and baptizing? He tells them that he is not the Messiah, Elijah or even a prophet. At this time there was no clear understanding of who the Messiah might be or even what kind of role the Messiah would play. The term “messiah” means anointed one. In the Israelite history they have anointed people for a variety of reasons. Kings, priests and some prophets had been anointed. There were those among his followers, and the people, who believed that the Baptist was the Messiah. Nevertheless, John denies that he is the Messiah no matter how one understands that term. He does say that there is one among them so great that he (John) is not worthy of being his servant.   Reflection Questions:   1. Are there people in your family or among your acquaintances who confuse you? How do you deal with them?   2. Why would anyone, especially respectable religious leaders, travel out to the desert to ask John who he was?   3. If a person were sent by God to your hometown to be a spokesperson for God today, where do you think you would find him/her? How would you be able to identify him/her as a person of God?   4. Are you looking for a person who might be a spokesperson of God for our world, our church, your community or even your personal life at this point in your life? Why or why not?   5. Who are the people in your life, in the church, in the world who speak with the mind and heart of God?   6. Who are the people who have been most effective in helping you to reflect on your own life and find meaning (or the presence of God) there?   Reflection questions are written by Fr. Paul Gallagher, OFM They are edited by Sister Anne Marie Lom, OSF To be added to the distribution list send your name and email address to fr.paul.gallagher.ofm@gmail.com _____________________________________________________________________ From the Benedictine Sisters of Lisle, IL Each evening at supper during Advent, we place a hand-made ornament on our Jesse Tree and share a scripture reading. On Christmas Eve, our tree reflects our prayerful preparation for Christ's coming. From the Benedictine Sisters, Lisle, IL