Peace Comes While Answering His Call! By Wayne Miller

Peace Comes While Answering His Call! By Wayne Miller

Fourth Sunday of Advent

“…he shall be peace." (Micah 5:4)

“…I come to do your will, O God.”  (Hebrews 10:7)

“…Blessed are you who believed that what was spoken to you by the Lord would be fulfilled." (Luke 1: 45)

Piety

Abba Father, thank you for giving my heart Your PEACE in the midst of all life’s big and little challenges!  Thank you for teaching me every day what it means to live in the Kingdom of Heaven with You now, reinforcing my certainty of the full and perfect Joy of living with you for eternity when that time comes.

Study

I was reminded again this week in scripture of not only the steadfast and straightforward response of Mother Mary to an angel’s visit but also of her husband, Joseph’s, several visits from God’s messengers and his immediate, unquestioning responses.  Both of Jesus’ parents exhibit the kind of faith-in-action that helps me, every day, to take the next step into the unknown with absolute certainty that whatever path I choose will be the right one, as long as I am holding firmly to my Lord’s hand and listening for His guidance. 

Recently, one of our Franciscan Friars said that there are no wrong paths if we walk in expectant faith that the Lord will teach and guide and provide insight from whatever happens along the way.  The greatest failure is to do nothing, because “guidance” cannot occur unless we are IN MOTION!  Course corrections and discoveries don’t happen unless we are moving.

What if Mary had decided to quietly wait out her pregnancy at home instead of going to visit her pregnant senior-citizen cousin?  Would she have ever heard Elizabeth’s prophetic proclamation when stirred to action by Jesus’ cousin John?  God speaks to us in so many miraculous ways.  If we let our hearts and ears and eyes be formed by the living love of God, amazingly great and small epiphanies happen every day. 

Action

Where shall we go today, Lord?  I have a necessary agenda, but please be with me and show me what I really need to see and do for and with your children.  So many just need to know how precious and lovable they truly are.  Thank you for the opportunity to visit with a broken-hearted brother living a painful family situation.  Thank you that I can genuinely feel his pain because you sustained me through a similar time.  And thank you for the wisdom to keep quiet and just be with him in his time of distress. 

Thank you that this puts an ache in my heart for my sons, scattered all around this great country, and struggling every day to be the best husbands and fathers and professionals for their families.  What will I do this holiday season to be with them across all those miles? 

I am overwhelmed with the Love and Acceptance and Blessing that You have so freely given to me.  How shall I make that a meaningful gift to all in my life?  Somehow, brightly-wrapped packages and gift cards pale in comparison to the riches of the Joy you heap on me.  Inspire me to give and serve as truly as Joseph and Mary did.

De Colores!