Is. 35:1-6a, 10; Ps. 146:6-10; Jas. 5:7-10; Mt.11:2-11
“Be strong, fear not!” In our weakness be strong and fear not for the Lord comes “with vindication; with divine recompense he comes to save you.” This is the promise of the Lord “he comes to save us” at the proper hour he comes calling us to be patient while we endure the test before us. The Lord’s coming is always present to us when we offer up our cross. The Lord comes in many ways and not always as we expect or anticipate. He may come to us in a spirit of consolation, in the support of a friend or stranger, in the answered prayer over time and sometimes in the moment and miracle of the day. One thing is certain the Lord never fails at his coming to us for he is faithful.
In an age of instant gratification and buying power “we want it now” whatever “it” is. Patient endurance is rejected in our culture as a sign of weakness not strength. This is the deception of the evil one to fill us with false pride and the illusion of being strong to make all things happen if only we are strong enough. The truth from God is “I have the strength for everything through him who strengthens me”, Philippians 4:13. Only in Christ comes our strength thus, to be strong and fear not is to be in Christ and he in us. It is then that we find ourselves, our true self in God.
“The Lord gives sight to the blind”. How many of us if not for the aid of eye-glasses, or surgery would not be able to see clearly or even drive? Do we count our blessings that in the mystery of life science and faith meet to provide for our needs. Yet the Lord desires to give us a greater gift of sight to see him before us, to see in our hearts his desire for us, and to see the work of his hand in our life. Our prayer, “Lord, help me to see your will at work in all my circumstances that I may be strong and fear not in going forth.”
“The Lord secures justice for the oppressed”. In a world of injustice, we can feel vulnerable and fearful to take the next right step or assume to be strong is to “take matters into our hands”. Who has time to wait for the Lord? The one who first places his problem before the Lord, trusts in the Lord and then acts upon discernment as the voice of the Lord comes in spirit and in truth to show us the way. This is being prudent and wise with patient endurance. Justice belongs to the Lord. “Do not complain…that you may not be judged” according to your own standards in the same way as we pray “lead us not into temptation and forgive us our sins as we forgive” others. Here lies the mystery of the mercy of God by how much we love and show mercy that we may not be judged.
John the Baptist sent his disciples to Jesus with the question “Are you the one who is to come…?” Jesus’ response was “Go and tell John what you hear and see”. The answer was found in the fruit of Jesus. We come to believe in the one sent to us by his work in us but he cannot work if we are not willing to place ourself before him and walk in his steps. Can we follow in his ways or do we remain in our way, the way driven by only our human desires? We are called to be saints and Jesus is the way the truth, and light in the darkness of this world.
Ironically, we sometimes want to be strong and fear not in the things of the world but when it comes to being strong in the Lord, strong enough to surrender to him our very self we become fearful of letting go and letting God be our God. This is where our spiritual battle begins with ourself, the greater challenge in our life. It is less about the problems of the world and more about this relationship we have with our God, creator, redeemer and sanctifier who is looking at us and patiently waiting for us to come to him because he has already come to us. Be strong and fear not to come to the Lord this Advent to receive Christmas, “mas de Cristo” more of Christ.
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