See My Faith, Oh God

December 10, 2007

Monday of the Second Week of Advent

By Beth DeCristofaro

…fear not! Here is your God, he comes with vindication; With divine recompense he comes to save you. Then will the eyes of the blind be opened, the ears of the deaf be cleared; Then will the lame leap like a stag, then the tongue of the mute will sing. (Isaiah 35: 4-6)

I will listen for the word of God…Kindness and truth shall meet; justice and peace shall kiss.
Truth shall spring out of the earth, and justice shall look down from heaven. (Psalm 85: 9, 11-12)

When Jesus saw their faith, he said, “As for you, your sins are forgiven.” (Luke 5:20)

Piety

In stillness I listen for your Word, O God. Open my blind eyes so that I might see you. Open my deaf ears that I might hear you. Heal my lameness so that I may follow you. Open my mute tongue so that I may sing your praise. Help me see, hear, act and speak kindness, justice and truth for your Glory. Help me listen in stillness for your word, O God.

Study

http://www.usccb.org/nab/121007.shtml

Isaiah’s beautiful poem speaks hope to those in exile and those left behind, bereft in a land destroyed by the conqueror. God will cause the lethal desert to bloom with life and God will smooth a road to liberate them.

Jesus liberates the paralyzed man from his spiritual and physical handicaps. In his healing, the man realizes the glory of God as do the witnesses: astonishment seized them all and they glorified God, and, struck with awe, they said, “We have seen incredible things today.” (Luke 5:26) However, the Pharisees and teachers of the law did not acknowledge the incredible thing they had seen; they were closed to the glory of God.

During the Advent season, we have another chance to open ourselves to the unlooked for and undeserved gift from God that is faith. Can we sing joyfully as the psalmist does? Can we exult, in spite of the deserts within ourselves, or the disabilities which block and bring pain to our lives, the exile which others sometimes inflict on us, and the God-ignoring culture in which we live, that God heals and forgives us? All we must do is to say “yes”?

Action

Find time away to be alone with God. Listen. Let God help you look at the desert, the exile, the disbelief, the doubting parts of yourself. Let God help you look at these hurting, divided places with God’s own kindness, justice and love. Let God help you find your place next to the crib of Jesus, the new born Light of the World.