Mt 11:2-11
Dear Friends,
In today’s Scripture, Isaiah draws a poetic picture of the Jews walking away into freedom after fifty years of anguish and exile in Babylonia. He uses his beautiful and poetic language to mirror the great event of the Old Testament, the Exodus from slavery to the Promised Land.
Today’s Gospel is about John the Baptist’s question, “Are you the one who is to come?” This plunges us into the mystery we celebrate this Advent season. Each of us in the depths of our heart has a basic yearning for Jesus. We long for him to bring salvation for us and for our world.
The message of Advent has many rich and beautiful dimensions. Most center on the coming of the Lord. Today we are called to experience this coming in the saving acts of Jesus as seen in the past and experienced in our life today. Faith will draw us into the wonderous truth that Jesus is truly the one for us and our world.
We have to see our life’s struggles in this context of these biblical journeys to freedom and healing. Jesus says, “Go tell John what you hear and see.” (Mt 11:4) The real message of Advent makes us able to see that not only are the blind given sight but the lame who now are able to leap like stags are even ready to go Dancing with the Stars. This is because the Advent message tells us that our reality is pregnant with a graciousness. The Advent implications for today reveal Jesus as still bringing restoration on the way to our original innocence. We are, indeed, being set free in our lives today. We do need to let the cry of Advent burst forth from our hearts: Come, Lord Jesus! Even more, we need to let this hunger in our hearts for a new day direct us to live the Gospel message. We have to walk in the footsteps of Jesus today. Our lived commitment brings the transformation of reality we yearn for right now. A life lived in love is the answer to our Advent prayer: Come Lord Jesus! The fullness of salvation we long for in the future will take place now when we walk in love in the footsteps of Jesus.
Jesus’ message to John in today’s Gospel is clear. There is a new day breaking through in his conquest of evil and the demonic power in his healing miracles. Just as the return of the Exiles from Babylonia mirrored the freedom of the great act of deliverance in the journey of people out of Egypt, God continues to manifest the great saving action of Jesus in our day. We need to see with eyes of the heart. The salvation we long for is taking place right now when we are sharing the compassion and love that Jesus continues in our day. This calls us to tear down the barriers. This calls us to work for reconciliation always and everywhere. This calls us to hear the cry of the poor and the cry of the earth.
The gift of hope leads us out of fear and despair to a life of action and commitment to the wonder of the Gospel message.
The battle of good and evil still dominates our world. The pull to freedom, the search for happiness and security still only find a lasting solution in Jesus. Jesus alone still possesses both the message and the power to draw us into eternal life. We still are the blind, the lame and the sinners that need healing and mercy. The answer to our cry for deliverance from the overwhelming power of evil in our day awaits us. That is what we pray for in our Advent prayer, Come Lord Jesus!
While we wait, we have to address our life situation now. St. Teresa of Avila gives us the direction in her classic Book Marker Prayer:
Let nothing disturb you,Let nothing make you afraid.All things are passing.God alone never changes.Patience gains all things.If you have God you will want for nothing.God alone suffices.
