Wednesday of the Second Week of Advent

Today's Scripture

Advent may be the season of preparation for the Feast of the Nativity, yet it often seems like the time to “get stuff done” for Christmas.  Of course, these four weeks include both.  Yet, it is so tempting to focus on getting our Christmas checklist completed that our exhaustion can obscure the spiritual growth of an Advent season well celebrated.  Today’s readings address our weariness and speak of the strengthening that is offered to those who place their hope in the Lord.

Isaiah challenges us to look to the Lord, the “Holy One,” above all others.  This is the Lord, the loving creator of the world.  The Lord does not grow faint and neither will those who place their hope in Him.  “They that hope in the Lord will renew their strength.” (Is 40:31a)  Thus Advent is a time of practicing hope.  It is a time of renewing our hope that our God has come to be one with us.

The promise of hope is reinforced in the words of Jesus that encourages all to bring their whole self and to yoke themselves to Him.  In placing our burdens on Jesus, he will give us rest.  Rest may not always come in the ways that we expect. It might come in the form of a healing or in a strengthening of resolve.  Rest might also come in the form of putting our own issues aside and praying “Christ, I give myself over to you.”  In putting our burdens and our selfish desires out-of-the-way, we can yoke ourselves to Christ.  Yoking ourselves humbly to Jesus opens us to following God’s direction for our lives.  The peace of being one with Christ is our Advent hope.

When Mary appeared to Juan Diego, whose feast we celebrate today, it was with a similar goal as Advent.  Mary’s goal was to utilize Juan Diego to point the indigenous people to Christ.  Our Lady of Guadalupe inspired Juan and thousands through him to see true hope that comes with a relationship with Christ.  Juan Diego’s passionate and meek faith witnessed to others a hope that could be found only in Christ. 

Let us reflect on one way we can witness to the hope of Advent hope that leads us to the birth of Christ.  “Lord we humbly offer you this day. Open our eyes to your presence and bless our souls with the peace that comes from loving you.  Grant this, so that like Juan Diego, we will passionately give witness to Jesus’ coming to a world in need of You O Lord.  Amen” 

-Michael Montgomery