Daily Retreat 12/14/08
2008 Dec 14 SUN: THIRD SUNDAY OF ADVENT
Is 61:1-2.10-11/Lk 1:46-54/1 Thes 5:16-24/Jn 1:6-8.19-28
From today’s readings: “I rejoice heartily in the LORD, in my God is the joy of my soul.... my spirit rejoices in God my Savior.... Rejoice always! Pray without ceasing.... He was not the light, but came to testify to the light...”
Halfway Home!
This year, Christmas falls on Thursday, but even when Christmas falls on a Sunday, by the third Sunday of Advent, always by then, the halfway point of Advent has been crossed, and we’ve entered the homestretch of our Christmas race.
Yes, “race” - isn’t it true that the hustle and bustle of this season and the busyness of Christmas-connected business leaves us all feeling like we’re running a losing race against time, as you and I rush to get done everything the world says we must get done before the December 25th deadline?
But listen to these cheers for us from holy scripture at this midway point in our holiday dash! From the prophet Isaiah: “I rejoice heartily in the LORD, in my God is the joy of my soul!” From St. Paul: “Rejoice always! Pray without ceasing!” And these words of the person who, out of all people of all time, had the most important, most demanding role in Christmas preparation: “My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord, my spirit rejoices in God my Savior!”
Isaiah, Paul, and Mary all recognized the Advent of Christ, not as some frantic race that would drag on for almost two more weary weeks, and not just as the secular “season to be jolly,” but rather, as the reason to rejoice fully. To rejoice fully in our day-by-day unwrapping of the simple but profound gift of life! To rejoice fully in the splendor of the Light of Christ which dispels the darkness of sin and shatters the shadow of error! To rejoice fully in the serenity that, no matter how many Christmas presents are yet unready on our list, the Christmas presence of Jesus is already in our midst!
But John the Baptist bemoaned, “...there is One in your midst whom you do not recognize!” Was his warning just for the Pharisees in Bethany across the Jordan, where John was baptizing? Or, perhaps his words were as much aimed at our hearts, so that you and I could come to recognize just what Advent is all about, as we drop out of that commercialized weary race going nowhere in order to return to the very Reason for rejoicing!
Is 61:1-2.10-11/Lk 1:46-54/1 Thes 5:16-24/Jn 1:6-8.19-28
From today’s readings: “I rejoice heartily in the LORD, in my God is the joy of my soul.... my spirit rejoices in God my Savior.... Rejoice always! Pray without ceasing.... He was not the light, but came to testify to the light...”
Halfway Home!
This year, Christmas falls on Thursday, but even when Christmas falls on a Sunday, by the third Sunday of Advent, always by then, the halfway point of Advent has been crossed, and we’ve entered the homestretch of our Christmas race.
Yes, “race” - isn’t it true that the hustle and bustle of this season and the busyness of Christmas-connected business leaves us all feeling like we’re running a losing race against time, as you and I rush to get done everything the world says we must get done before the December 25th deadline?
But listen to these cheers for us from holy scripture at this midway point in our holiday dash! From the prophet Isaiah: “I rejoice heartily in the LORD, in my God is the joy of my soul!” From St. Paul: “Rejoice always! Pray without ceasing!” And these words of the person who, out of all people of all time, had the most important, most demanding role in Christmas preparation: “My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord, my spirit rejoices in God my Savior!”
Isaiah, Paul, and Mary all recognized the Advent of Christ, not as some frantic race that would drag on for almost two more weary weeks, and not just as the secular “season to be jolly,” but rather, as the reason to rejoice fully. To rejoice fully in our day-by-day unwrapping of the simple but profound gift of life! To rejoice fully in the splendor of the Light of Christ which dispels the darkness of sin and shatters the shadow of error! To rejoice fully in the serenity that, no matter how many Christmas presents are yet unready on our list, the Christmas presence of Jesus is already in our midst!
But John the Baptist bemoaned, “...there is One in your midst whom you do not recognize!” Was his warning just for the Pharisees in Bethany across the Jordan, where John was baptizing? Or, perhaps his words were as much aimed at our hearts, so that you and I could come to recognize just what Advent is all about, as we drop out of that commercialized weary race going nowhere in order to return to the very Reason for rejoicing!
posted by FrPitstick | 12/12/2008
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