Saturday 6 December #Tender

Then Jesus went about all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues, and proclaiming the good news of the kingdom, and curing every disease and every sickness. When he saw the crowds, he had compassion for them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. Then he said to his disciples, “The harvest is plentiful, but the labourers are few; therefore ask the Lord of the harvest to send out labourers into his harvest.”

Then Jesus summoned his twelve disciples and gave them authority over unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to cure every disease and every sickness.

Go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel. As you go, proclaim the good news, ‘The kingdom of heaven has come near.’ Cure the sick, raise the dead, cleanse the lepers, cast out demons. You received without payment; give without payment. Matthew 9:35– 10:1, 6-8

Readings: Psalm 147:1-6, Isaiah 30:18-21,23-26 and Matthew 9:35-10:1,-8

Reflection

Each Advent we hear the call “wake up” but to what? The presence of God’s Kingdom in our midst. Isaiah tells us, “The Lord will give you the bread you need and the water for which you thirst.” A command is also issued, “This is the way; walk in it.” Find the bread you need; search for the water you need. The “you” is both individual and communal. The Psalmist tells us that the Lord takes pleasure in the devout, those who seek and await his faithful care. 

Matthew tells us Jesus proclaimed the Kingdom of God, and he cured every disease and illness. At the sight of the crowd, his heart was moved with pity for them, because they felt troubled and abandoned. Jesus then summoned his twelve disciples and said to them, “Go after the lost sheep of the house of Israel. As you go, announce the Kingdom of God. Cure the sick, cleanse the lepers, drive out demons.” In these readings, we see Jesus reacting to the troubled and abandoned by being compassionate and caring for all the suffering. This Advent we are called again to this mission of building God’s Kingdom. Because of this call, we must be awake to the cry of the poor and suffering. We must be as compassionate and caring for the poor and suffering as Jesus was.

Alleluia, alleluia.
As you proclaim go, proclaim the good news, “The Kingdom of heaven has come near”.
Alleluia, alleluia.

 

Prayer

Patient, life giving and
enabling God
through your grace that dawned upon humankind
enable me to open my life to you so that you may
dwell in me.
That I may abide and remain with you forever.

Amen

Friday 5 December #Hope

As Jesus went on from there, two blind men followed him, crying loudly, “Have mercy on us, Son of David!”  When he entered the house, the blind men came to him; and Jesus said to them, “Do you believe that I am able to do this?” They said to him, “Yes, Lord.”  Then he touched their eyes and said, “According to your faith let it be done to you.”  And their eyes were opened. Then Jesus sternly ordered them, “See that no one knows of this.” But they went away and spread the news about him throughout that district.

Matthew 9: 27-31

Readings:Psalm 27, Isaiah 29: 7-24 and Matthew 9:27-31

Reflection 

How beautiful this season of anticipation and hope can be! A theme of light is reflected in these bible readings; each brings a little more light than the previous one. Isaiah is
relating how the promise of the Redemption will bring light we cannot imagine.

Matthew’s story brings light to the blind and the psalmist prays, “The Lord is my light.” In the passage from Isaiah we recognize a spirit of hopefulness a—“joy in the Lord.” The prophet says that the “children of Israel will see the Lord.” When Matthew speaks of  this “vision,” his comments are more human. As Matthew recounts the story two human beings who are blind have encountered Jesus. They cried out, “Son of David have pity on us.” Matthew, of course, was writing for Jews who had followed Jesus, and they would have been very familiar with the Hebrew prophets and history. What a suffering not being able to see anything! Jesus, of course, recognized their plight. He replied “Do you believe that I can do this?” “Yes, Lord, we do believe.” He touched their eyes, and they were able to see. “Don’t tell anyone.” How could they not tell? They were ecstatic! Moreover, when they met their friends, words were not necessary. What Jesus was eliciting from the blind persons was a profession of faith.

How do you respond when you find yourself in a situation where you seek “light?” Is your faith in Jesus real or is it merely superficial?

Alleluia, alleluia.
Behold, our Lord shall come with power; he will enlighten the eyes of his servants.
Alleluia, alleluia.

Prayer
I wait and look for you in my life.
I wait longing for the news I desperately want to hear.
I wait in desperation.

In the darkness may I know your light.

In despair your peace.
Help me to remember that “your grace is sufficient for me” that all I cling to I can lay at your feet. So I lay it down, my tears, my fears .. my all.

Amen

 

Thursday 4 December #Glory

Jesus said to his disciples: “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the Kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father in heaven.
“Everyone who listens to these words of mine and acts on them will be like a wise man who built his house on rock. The rain fell, the floods came, and the winds blew and buffeted the house.  But it did not collapse; it had been set solidly on rock.  And everyone who listens to these words of mine but does not act on them will be like a fool who built his house on sand.  The rain fell, the floods came, and the winds blew and buffeted the house.  And it collapsed and was completely ruined.”

Matthew 7:21, 24-27

Readings: Psalm 118, Isaiah 26:1-6 and Matthew 7:21, 24-27

Reflection

The reading for today tells us that the one who does the will of the Father will enter the kingdom of heaven, and it also states that whoever listens to his word and puts it into practice is like a wise man who built his house on rock.
What is the will of the Father, and how, like the wise man, can we build a strong house? From today’s reading we can find that the will of God is love. God gave us life, wisdom, freedom, and especially love, which will become the material needed to build our house. In addition, he has confidence that we will build the reign of God in communion with other people, that we will be creative and prudent in doing so.

Jesus seems to be telling us that we ought to live in love, that is to say we ought to do the will of the God in communion with other people, nature, and especially that we ought to be creative and prudent in light of the changes in the modern world.

We ought to build the reign of God in this real but changing world where there exists other ideologies, where there are those who don’t have time to pray, much less share love with those around them. It is in this climate that we need to build the house on a firm foundation so that the message of Jesus and the love of God do not disappear. We are to be prudent and wise so that the building will not collapse in the real world—may we remember this in the busyness and noise of this Advent season.

Alleluia, alleluia.
Seek the LORD while he may be found;
call him while he is near.
Alleluia, alleluia.

Prayer

Comforting God,

May I surrender myself to you this day. As I offer my dreams and ambitions, my anxieties and my fears may I be fully open to the prompting of your Spirit.

Help me, O God, to embrace this Advent and to use it as a time to expand and transform my life.

Help me, O God, to look for ways of cultivating my relationship with you and with others. Give me opportunities to show your grace and your mercy.

In your name I pray. Amen