Wednesday of the Second Week of Advent
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 practically, these four weeks demand both from us. However, it is so tempting to focus on getting our Christmas checklist completed that our secular emphasis 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 for us to be a people who practice hope. It is a time for renewing the hope that our God has come to be one with us.
The promise of hope is reinforced in the words of Jesus as he encourages us all to bring our whole self and yoke ourselves 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 and my burdens over to You.” In offering our afflictions and our selfish desires to the Lord we can ask Him to help bear the burden; we can yoke ourselves to Christ. Yoking ourselves humbly to Jesus opens us to following God’s direction for our lives and offers us the peace of being one with Christ. This is our Advent hope.
Let us reflect on one way we can witness to the hope of Advent, a 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 we will passionately give witness to Jesus’ coming into a world that is truly in need of You. Amen."
-Michael Montgomery