Lord make us turn to you”

Today's Mass Readings

In the tradition of Jewish hope for the Messiah, the one who would come and restore God’s reign, there was an expectation that the great prophet Elijah would come back as a forerunner to the Messiah, an indication that the one who came after was indeed God’s servant who will save His people from oppression. In the first reading, we see a recitation of this expectation of Elijah’s return, “You were destined, it is written, in time to come to put an end to wrath before the day of the Lord,
to turn back the hearts of fathers toward their sons, and to re-establish the tribes of Jacob.” And in the gospel, Jesus alludes to Elijah’s suffering such that it was clear to the disciples that he was identifying John the Baptist with Elijah. The Baptist is indeed the forerunner to Jesus, the Messiah. It is not as clear as was expected. So often this happens in the gospels. The disciples do not understand, they have eyes, but do not see. We see throughout the gospels many who come to see (both literally and figuratively) because of their faith in God.

How many times does God blow open our expectations? How many times are we struck with the inability to see God’s work because we attempt to confine God to our narrow expectations? As we continue in this season of advent, let us prepare to be blown away. That is, let us focus on taking a looser hold of our expectations so that God might fulfill them! This is the miracle of the birth of Jesus for which we are preparing. God came to save all of humanity by coming as a little child. Our God became human, so that we might become divine – but He did it in a way that we didn’t expect.

Let us pray that we might prepare to see afresh, to see with new eyes, the work of God and discern the God’s work even when it doesn’t conform to our narrow plans. Let us pray with the psalmist, “Lord make us turn to you” so that we might see by the Light that is Christ.