COLLECT: “LOOK WITH FAVOR, LORD GOD, ON OUR PETITIONS, AND IN OUR TRIALS, GRANT US YOUR COMPASSIONATE HELP, THAT, CONSOLED BY THE PRESENCE OF YOUR SON, WHOSE COMING WE NOW AWAIT, WE MAY BE TAINTED NO LONGER BY THE CORRUPTION OF FORMER WAYS. THROUGH OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST, YOUR SON, WHO LIVES AND REIGNS WITH YOU IN THE UNITY OF THE HOLY SPIRIT, GOD, FOR EVER AND EVER. AMEN”.
Is 11:1-10; Ps 71:1-2,7-8,12-13,17 and Lk 10:21-24.
The Prophet Isaiah today foretells that God’s Spirit will rest on a descendant of Jesse, whom the Church understands to be Jesus. In the Gospel for today, Jesus praises the Father for what he has revealed to the childlike. This passage of the Gospel is usually called Jesus’ “hymn of joy”. It is also in the Gospel of Matthew (11:25-27). It is one of those moments when Jesus rejoices to see humble people understanding and accepting the Word of God.
In this Gospel, Jesus reveals to us one of the effects of humility, and that is Spiritual Childhood. To become like children, we must renounce our pride and self-sufficiency and recognise that we can do nothing by ourselves. We always need the grace and the help of God our Father to find our way and keep to it.
We need to abandon ourselves as children do, believe as children believe, beg as children beg (Cf. Bl. J. Escriva, Christ Is Passing By, 10 & 143). Indeed, if we have a childlike attitude, humility, of course, our homes, communities, offices/work places, as well as wherever we find ourselves, will be “New Heavens and New Earth” as Isaiah sees in his vision.
The stories of creation reveal to us how serene, harmonious and peaceful the world was and there was harmony and peaceful co-existence between man and the rest of creation. The world was a paradise. The world turned the opposite with the advent of disobedience and sin introduced by Satan, and cooperated by man, thereby resulting in the Fall of Adam and Eve. Since then, the world and all creation have been yearning and groaning for peace and harmony (Cf. Rom 8:21ff).
Satan continues to use human beings, as well as human systems, mechanisms and accomplishments to disturb, disrupt or completely eradicate human efforts to restore peace and harmony in the world and among living creatures. During the time of Isaiah, Assyria was used by the evil one to disturb the peace which existed among the Israelites
However, Satan will always be conquered by the Most Powerful God. Therefore, in his vision, the Prophet Isaiah saw that Assyria would one day be like a tree cut down at the height of its power, never to rise again (Cf. Is 10:33-34). Isaiah also foresaw that Judah (the royal line of David), who cooperated with sinful nations like Assyria, would one day be a tree chopped down to its stump, but from that stump, a new shoot would grow to be the Messiah. He would be greater than the original tree and would bear much fruit. The Messiah would be the fulfilment of God’s promise that a descendant of David would rule forever (2Sam 7:16). This portrays what Jesus says about a tree that does not bear fruit in the Gospel of John. It will either be chopped down or be carefully pruned to allow the fruit bearing branches bear much fruits.
In his vision, Isaiah, so to speak, gives us a picture of a new paradise, where creatures that are perpetual arch-enemies will now live together in peace. The wolf shall be the lamb’s guest. The leopard shall lie down with the kid. Calf and young lion shall browse together. A little kid shall guide the calf and the lion. Cow and bear shall be neighbours and their young ones, rest together. The baby shall play by the cobra’s den and lay his hand on the adder’s lair….’ In this ‘Isaiahian Paradise’, the causes of enmity, conflict, hatred, war and disturbance will be taken away or avoided.
This is a very good message for us as we live together, work together, play politics together, and socialise together in this world. Several things disturb, disrupt and eventually destroy peace among us, causing hostility among us. These include: misunderstanding, injustice, discrimination (based on religion, race, colour, language, tribe or clan, etc.), prejudice and hearsay, greed, selfishness, pride, false evidence, jealousy and envy. In the case of the other living creatures, like the animals, hunger is the major cause of their enmity. What about human beings?
The message for us today, and for the rest of this Season of Advent is to make a conscious effort to eliminate or avoid anything that will erupt conflict, disturbance and disharmony between or among us. We also have to be sincere with ourselves, such that if I am the one causing disturbances, disharmony and conflicts in the family, community or in the country, is this season of Advent not the opportune moment for me to avoid that and prepare myself for the Lord who is coming at Christmas?
It must be noted that in this grace-filled season of Advent, God is urging each one of us to desperately see the need for revival of righteousness, justice, faithfulness and love in our lives as we live and work with other people. May the Lord give us sufficient grace to do that. Stay blessed and may your day be fruitful.
WE MEDITATE TODAY, TUESDAY, ON THE SORROWFUL MYSTERIES: ‘THE AGONY IN THE GARDEN, THE SCOURGING AT THE PILLAR, THE CROWNING WITH THORNS, THE CARRYING OF THE CROSS AND THE CRUCIFIXION’ (WE PRAY FOR SORROW FOR SIN, PURITY, COURAGE, PATIENCE, AND PERSEVERANCE) “Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with you, blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb Jesus: Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us, sinners, now and the hour of our death, Amen”.
PRAYER: “REPLENISHED BY THE FOOD OF SPIRITUAL NOURISHMENT, WE HUMBLY BESEECH YOU, O LORD, THAT, THROUGH OUR PARTAKING IN THIS MYSTERY, YOU MAY TEACH US TO JUDGE WISELY THE THINGS OF EARTH AND HOLD FIRM TO THE THINGS OF HEAVEN. THROUGH CHRIST OUR LORD. AMEN”.
Rev. Fr. Aloysius Kpiebaya, Catholic Diocese of Wa, UW/R, Ghana. (00233) 0207867239/0545462863. Email: aloybaya20@yahoo.
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