Monday of the Second Week in Advent
Intention: That all people will embrace the story of the birth of the Christ Child as a call to increase our attention to the needs of children throughout the world.
Today’s Gospel | Luke 5:17-26
One day as Jesus was teaching, Pharisees and teachers of the law were sitting there who had come from every village of Galilee and Judea and Jerusalem, and the power of the Lord was with him for healing. And some men brought on a stretcher a man who was paralyzed; they were trying to bring him in and set
Then the scribes and Pharisees began to ask themselves, “Who is this who speaks blasphemies? Who but God alone can forgive sins?” Jesus knew their thoughts and said to them in reply, “What are you thinking in your hearts? Which is easier, to say, ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or to say, ‘Rise and walk’? But that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins”—he said to the man who was paralyzed, “I say to you, rise, pick up your stretcher, and go home.”
He stood up immediately before them, picked up what he had been lying on, and went home, glorifying God. Then astonishment seized them all and they glorified God, and, struck with awe, they said, “We have seen incredible things today.”
A Reflection for the Second Monday of Advent
The saga of humanity’s relationship with God is filled with moments in which God leads his people through trials and loss and on to peace and restoration. For many, the most striking examples of that are the miracles of Jesus. The scenes of Jesus’ healings and even resurrections are certainly awe-inspiring in and of themselves. What we should not overlook, however, is that they were also about more. For Jesus himself, his miracles were about awakening people to the immanence of the Kingdom of God. They were meant to show that we belong to a God who had broken into our time and space and was nearer to us than we had ever imagined, calling us to turn away from sin and to be at one with him. Matt Chandler wrote, “Without a heart transformed by the grace of Christ, we just continue to manage external and internal darkness.” We were made by grace for grace. The time of Advent is a time to remember not just to wonder at God’s light and love, but to follow where it leads.
Prayer
Eternal Father, our world is filled with goodness, but there still are temptations and false paths that draw us away from you. Even when we are surrounded by the people and things we know, we still can be lost. But you are watching our every step, ready to search for us and bring us back. Lead us every day to where we are meant to be. Open our eyes and hearts so that we will be caring and vigilant toward one another, especially those who are most in need of companionship and attention. We ask this of you who lives and reigns with your Son and the Holy Spirit, one God, forever and ever. Amen.