Word to the Wise
Monday, December 2, 2024 - 1st Week of Advent - Mon
[Isa 2:1-5 (or, in Year A, Isa 4:2-6) and Matt 8:5-11]In days to come, the mountain of the Lord's house shall be established as the highest mountain and raised above the hills; All nations shall stream toward it....They shall beat their swords into plowshares and their spears into pruning hooks; one nation shall not raise the sword against another, nor shall they train for war again. O house of Jacob come, let us walk in the light of the Lord. [Isaiah] "Amen, I say to you, in no one in Israel have I found such faith. I say to you, many will come from the east and the west, and will recline with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob at the banquet in the Kingdom of heaven. [Matthew]
Advent is a liturgical season of HOPE. We hear "messianic hope" expressed in the words of Isaiah, prophesied more than a half century before Jesus' life. This messianic hope, by the time of Jesus, had become diversified. Some hoped for a military leader who would lead against the Roman occupation. Others simply hoped for a restoration of the glory days of kings David and Solomon. What became clear in Jesus' life is that the messianic hope of the Jewish people did not include a person from Nazareth, the son of a carpenter. But that did not matter to the Roman centurion, a pagan, who sought healing for a favorite servant. At first, Jesus meets him on the level of making a "house call" to heal the servant. But the centurion shows a faith that surprises Jesus by saying it would not be necessary for Jesus to come in person. He (Jesus) only had to give a command - something a centurion was used to doing. This leads to the words of Jesus about many coming from the east and west to the banquet in the KIngdom of heaven, something akin to Isaiah's words in today's first scripture.
What kind of HOPE do we have in this season? It can be rather particular, like that of the centurion or something broader like peace in the Middle East and Ukraine! The Advent season comes at a time that is difficult for many people because the cultural celebration of the "holiday season" seems to amplify all loss - health, job, death of a loved one who will not be present. What kind of HOPE can we GIVE in this season? It can be given in a word and does not need any more "wrapping" than the body of the giver! AMEN