Hello everyone,
I figured I'd give you all a sneak peak into what I am giving for a reflection at the nursing home tomorrow during the communion service. As I have done in the past the first part is my reflection, after that I have included the readings which are prescibed by the Church to be read tomorrow. These readings are what I have based this reflection off of, so if you are interested you can read those too.
Peace,
Adam
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(Sung to tune)“You better watch out, you better not shout, you better not cry, I’m telling you why…”
We all know how that song goes. Why are we being told to behave? Because Santa Clause is coming to town. Obviously it is very important to prepare for the jolly man in the red suit to get here, he sees us when we are sleeping, he sees us when we are awake, and worse yet he knows when we’ve been bad or good, so we better be good for goodness sake.
I don’t know about you, but that song always kind of made me think twice before doing something when I was a little kid. But we need to remember that Santa doesn’t come just any old day of the year, he comes when we celebrate the coming of our Lord, Jesus Christ. What do we do to be ready for His coming? John the Baptist was trying to get everyone ready for the coming of the Messiah. John knew that his job was to prepare the way of the Lord, as is said in Isaiah. John called on the people to repent of their sins, and to start living for God.
John knew what this meant, and the Jews of the day knew what it meant, they had all been taught the words of Isaiah that we read today. Isaiah was repeating what he had heard from God, that God had made everything, and that He had made it to be lived in, not to be wasted. God does want us to go about our lives, embracing our loved ones, doing good for them, and doing good in general. As is quoted in Isaiah’s writings, “Only in the LORD
are just deeds and power.” We are also given very clear instructions on how to prepare for Christ’s coming, “Turn to me and be safe, all you ends of the earth.”
John sent some of his followers to Christ to ask if He was the one who is to come. Jesus didn’t answer it in so many words, but we know that He is indeed the one who was to come, and we know that he will come again someday.
So we need to remember among the hustle and bustle of this Advent season, prepare for Santa, laying out your milk and cookies. But even more important, prepare for the Lord, repenting of our sin and doing good works for Him.
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Reading 1
Is 45:6c-8, 18, 21c-25
I am the LORD, there is no other;
I form the light, and create the darkness,
I make well-being and create woe;
I, the LORD, do all these things.
Let justice descend, O heavens, like dew from above,
like gentle rain let the skies drop it down.
Let the earth open and salvation bud forth;
let justice also spring up!
I, the LORD, have created this.
For thus says the LORD,
The creator of the heavens,
who is God,
The designer and maker of the earth
who established it,
Not creating it to be a waste,
but designing it be lived in:
I am the LORD, and there is no other.
Who announced this from the beginning
and foretold it from of old?
Was it not I, the LORD,
besides whom there is no other God?
There is no just and saving God but me.
Turn to me and be safe,
all you ends of the earth,
for I am God; there is no other!
By myself I swear,
uttering my just decree
and my unalterable word:
To me every knee shall bend;
by me every tongue shall swear,
Saying, “Only in the LORD
are just deeds and power.
Before him in shame shall come
all who vent their anger against him.
In the LORD shall be the vindication and the glory
of all the descendants of Israel.”
Lk 7:18b-23
Gospel
At that time,
John summoned two of his disciples and sent them to the Lord to ask,
“Are you the one who is to come, or should we look for another?”
When the men came to the Lord, they said,
“John the Baptist has sent us to you to ask,
‘Are you the one who is to come, or should we look for another?’”
At that time Jesus cured many of their diseases, sufferings, and evil spirits;
he also granted sight to many who were blind.
And Jesus said to them in reply,
“Go and tell John what you have seen and heard:
the blind regain their sight,
the lame walk,
lepers are cleansed,
the deaf hear, the dead are raised,
the poor have the good news proclaimed to them.
And blessed is the one who takes no offense at me.”
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