God’s Tender Compassion Breaks Upon Us

Tuesday of the Fourth Week of Advent

By Beth DeCristofaro

But that night the LORD spoke to Nathan and said: “Go, tell my servant David, ‘Thus says the LORD: Should you build me a house to dwell in? … Your house and your Kingdom shall endure forever before me; your throne shall stand firm forever.’” (2 Samuel 7:5, 16)

In the tender compassion of our God the dawn from on high shall break upon us, to shine on those who dwell in darkness and the shadow of death, and to guide our feet into the way of peace.”  (Luke 1: 59)

Piety

Dear God, Shall I play for you?

I’ll play my drum for You, pa rum pum pum pum
I”ll play my best for You, pa rum pum pum pum,
rum pum pum pum, rum pum pum pum,
Then He’ll smile at me, pa rum pum pum pum
Me and my drum.

        (adapted from “The Little Drummer Boy”)

Study

For many, many years I felt pretty dusty, fairly unable to “reach” God in prayer.  In Mass, I recited “Lord I am not worthy to receive you, but say the Word and my soul shall be healed,” with more sadness than joy.  Healing comes in many forms and today these words resonate with more hope and surety.  Advent is a special time of year wherein I generally strive to be more attentive to the movement of God within the world and the presence of Jesus around me.  However, Advent 2013 has been hectic, stressful and way too rapid for me.  It is with a sense of wonder and delight, then, that I realize through today’s readings just how much God wants me to receive Him and how much healing God has in store for me. 

In 2012, Richard Rohr’s Christmas Eve reflection included:  “In Jesus, God achieved the perfect synthesis of the divine and the human. The incarnation of Jesus demonstrates that God meets us where we are as humans. God freely and fully overcomes the gap from God’s side. The problem of redemption is already resolved once and for all, long before its dramatic illustration on the cross.  …  In a weak little child, God is both perfectly hidden and perfectly revealed—and fully loveable. Tonight we celebrate this wonderful mystery.” (http://myemail.constantcontact.com/Daily-Meditation--Incarnation----Christmas-Eve----December-24--2012.html?soid=1103098668616&aid=zeKjGnrI8rU)

Action

Download your favorite Christmas Carol to a device you can access anytime.  Play your song for yourself and God every month or so.  Look around you and see to whom you can give a “Christmas” gift of yourself when you play your song.