Monday of the Second Week of Advent
Advent is now in full swing as we wait and prepare for Christmas. Although waiting typically involves patience, today’s readings indicate that maybe we are called to do more than just sit around and wait for Christ’s coming. The peace, healing, mercy and love of Christ that is described in scripture is a foretaste of what God desires for all mankind. Yes, the fullness of God’s kingdom is not here yet, but our actions and words can help hasten His arrival.
Today’s first reading describes a place where creation is in full abundance, there is peace and no fear, and healing and joy is complete. This is a place that all people and creation are longing to experience. How long must we wait? Looking around at our world it is easy to see the destruction of creation, war, suffering, hatred and fear- it seems that we are a long way from realizing the vision of Christ’s kingdom as described by Isaiah.
In the gospel reading, several faith-filled men literally bring down the roof to find Jesus’ presence for their friend. When they actively pursue Jesus, they receive both healing and forgiveness of their sins. They are not content to wait until the crowd disperses to be with Jesus. Because of the active demonstration of their faith, not only are they blessed with God’s grace, but those that witness their actions see the glory of God.
How are we called to wait for God’s coming? Although Advent is a time of waiting, God calls us to actively bring about Christ’s arrival in the everyday moments of our lives. A quote from a recent reflection by Fr. Richard Rohr explains this very well:
Whenever the material and the spiritual coincide, there is the Christ. Jesus fully accepted that human-divine identity and walked it into history. Henceforth, the Christ “comes again” whenever we are able to see the spiritual and the material coexisting, in any moment, in any event, and in any person. All matter reveals Spirit, and Spirit needs matter to “show itself”! I believe “the Second Coming of Christ” happens whenever and wherever we allow this to be utterly true for us.
So when we allow mercy, love, healing and God’s presence to be a part of our daily living, then in some small way we are allowing the “coming of Christ” in our world. This is not something that we can patiently sit around and wait for it to happen. We must first seek God’s presence just like the men in the gospel. Sometimes this may require “bringing down the roof” of the many internal and external things that separate us from God- our fears, our busyness, our sense of worthlessness, our pride. This takes work and effort to find God in prayer, sacrament, scripture and in our world. Once we are in His presence, then we can receive the mercy, healing, and love that He wants to share with us. But just as Jesus tells the man in the gospel, He wants us to “pick up our mats and go home.” Jesus sends us out back into the world and to our homes and jobs and neighborhoods to bring Him to those in need.
Although we are waiting for the celebration of Christmas, we are also waiting for the second coming when all things will be brought to fullness in Christ. Jesus’ birth allows us to have a human demonstration of how God is calling us to live. When we celebrate Christmas, we celebrate what God’s plan is for each of us- His grace lived fully in our lives by following His Son. As disciples of Jesus, we become Christ bearers to others as we imitate Him in thought, word and deed. Advent is a perfect time not only to anticipate the celebration of Jesus’ birth, but to actively participate in bringing the kingdom of God closer to its fullness by being instruments of His grace.
Loving Father, we await the coming of Your Son Jesus when He will bring all things to fullness with You. During this Advent, may Your Spirit fill our hearts and minds, so we can actively join as Christ bearers for the world. May our lives give you glory in all that we think, say and do. We pray this through Christ our LORD. Amen.
Marylynn Herchline