Friday of the First Week of Advent
Words do things - significant things. There are very few times that "Sticks and stones may break my bones but words will never hurt me" holds true; words can drip with violence and incrimination, making a person feel terrible for that day and many other days to come. Donald Trump only has to utter two words - "You're fired" - to dash the hopes of his future employees.
Our internet age makes words perhaps even more significant because so many of us can easily see other peoples' communication. The student in Kansas this week who refused to apologize to the governor for her tweeted words against him, is a case in point. Her words were instantly public and instantly part of a national online debate. People have risen to stardom and just as easily fallen because of internet words about them.
So there are many reasons why today's first reading (Isaiah 29:17-24) might be good news for us, directly. The prophet talks about a time when "All who are alert to do evil will be cut off, those whose mere word condemns a man...." The prophet, too, knows about the power of words and specifically names that as part of the evil of our world. But when God comes, says Isaiah, we will have nothing to be ashamed of. All those who use their words to try to make others feel ashamed about themselves, because of being unable to hear or see or understand, or because of poverty or having no political power, will find themselves in an entirely new (and probably uncomfortable) situation.
Notice that the new time the prophet speaks about is not about simply a time when God will give power and money and healing to those who had things to be "ashamed about" - this salvation is about God stepping into the world and telling the people that from God's point of view, what the world sees as NOT good, is in fact, good. What looked like a desert (Lebanon) will now seem like an orchard of fruit trees! So it is too that "those who find fault", those who critique and attack others, will suddenly find the roles reversed. They will be the ones receiving "instruction" from God. Being humble and holy will end up being the better thing to do than being self-important.
Words do things - significant things. Words are so important that God sent his Word to be among us and to say things like what we see in today's gospel reading (Matthew 9:27-31). "Let it be done for you according to your faith." God in Jesus Christ healed blind men - not arbitrarily, but only because the men themselves had faith. The men holy and humble, not self-important and knew how to use words rightly: "Son of David, have pity on us."
So it is for us. God's Word will come among us and be with us and heal us - but we can only see him, and hear his words, if we are willing to be humble and holy ourselves. This advent, let us ask God to make us more like these blind men.
- Jana M. Bennett