Now, in the purple days of Advent, i toss and turn with anxiety. Can i carry the weight of responsibility that is God's Will? Can i manage the yolk of faith that is a servant's life? I stand with one foot in a little boat of all my worldly needs and possessions, while the other foot rests a boat of faith, my desire to grow, an instinct i know is the absolute truth of love and compassion, peace and joy in this life. The boats wobble. With one foot in each boat, keeping balance is tough. Indeed, i know it would be better to choose one of the two, yet i cannot. With one foot in each boat, i'm not going anywhere: all my effort and time is spent on keeping upright. Surrendering to the lie of wealth, power, status, rich foods, comfort in ignorance, ease in not caring, is not an option. Choose faith, then. Step over into that boat called Love. Let compassion and wisdom keep me afloat. God shall keep me safe. No man can then threaten or take away that which i have built. So simple. Yet here i stand. A choice, that i can't seem to make, hence my tossing and turning this Advent.
From Luke 2, we read of the birth of John the Baptist, last of the Old Testament prophets, who shall herald the coming of the Messiah.
Then his father Zechariah was filled with the Holy Spirit and spoke this prophecy:
From Luke 2, we read of the birth of John the Baptist, last of the Old Testament prophets, who shall herald the coming of the Messiah.
Then his father Zechariah was filled with the Holy Spirit and spoke this prophecy:
68 “Blessed be the Lord God of Israel,
for he has looked favorably on his people and redeemed them.
69 He has raised up a mighty savior for us
in the house of his servant David,
70 as he spoke through the mouth of his holy prophets from of old,
71 that we would be saved from our enemies and from the hand of all who hate us.
72 Thus he has shown the mercy promised to our ancestors,
and has remembered his holy covenant,
73 the oath that he swore to our ancestor Abraham,
to grant us 74 that we, being rescued from the hands of our enemies,
might serve him without fear, 75 in holiness and righteousness
before him all our days.
76 And you, child, will be called the prophet of the Most High;
for you will go before the Lord to prepare his ways,
77 to give knowledge of salvation to his people
by the forgiveness of their sins.
78 By the tender mercy of our God,
the dawn from on high will break upon us,
79 to give light to those who sit in darkness and in the shadow of death,
to guide our feet into the way of peace.”
As a Christian i believe it is we who are all servants of Light who go before Him to prepare his ways. We must do the work of faith. Now, on Earth, according to our means, we are called in this lifetime to prepare his ways. The Christ has taught us, personally demonstrated, how we can prepare the way. And if sin is holding us back, we are redeemed. Redeemed? Like a coupon, i always think? From the Jesuits of Ireland a wonderful explanation:
God, "the Holy One of Israel" is their ‘redeemer’. The word in Hebrew originally refers to the nearest male relative who will avenge the blood of someone who has been murdered. He is also the one pays off a debt and frees the debtor from prison; his duty also is to protect the defenceless. Leviticus (25:47-55) also speaks of a situation where a person has to sell himself to a foreigner. He can be ‘redeemed’, that is, bought back by a brother, or uncle or cousin or any other relative. (The word ‘redeemer’ comes from the Latin redemptor, meaning ‘someone who buys back’.)
It then comes to refer to God as one who protects the oppressed and who liberates his people. The word is used frequently in this sense in Second Isaiah. The word then was applied to Jesus, who is the Redeemer and Liberator of us all. (http://livingspace.sacredspace.ie/)
And so we have been released, liberated, granted a new start, forgiven that i might choose to give light to those who sit in darkness, hold out a helping hand to those who sit in the shadow of death and that i might serve God without fear: do not be afraid! Fearless, now i can choose the way of peace and thus prepare the ways of the LORD on Earth, in my lifetime, now and every day.
Here i stand with a foot in each wobbly boat. What prevents me from choosing? Fear. My old enemy who keeps me in doubt, second-guessing, deep in my comfort-zone. Fear. That lie that is my Self, that vulnerable child scrambling after needs and running from aversions. But as God promised those who have faith in Him, we shall know his mercy, we shall be redeemed through forgiveness and we shall be saved from our enemies that we can serve without fear.
Dear God, please help me choose wisely to accept the boat that gives true life, and that once chosen i can progress with a fearless heart, in my own forgiveness and mercy to all upon my path, and thus preparing your ways so that all may know peace and joy in their lifetime.
Deo gratias.
for he has looked favorably on his people and redeemed them.
69 He has raised up a mighty savior for us
in the house of his servant David,
70 as he spoke through the mouth of his holy prophets from of old,
71 that we would be saved from our enemies and from the hand of all who hate us.
72 Thus he has shown the mercy promised to our ancestors,
and has remembered his holy covenant,
73 the oath that he swore to our ancestor Abraham,
to grant us 74 that we, being rescued from the hands of our enemies,
might serve him without fear, 75 in holiness and righteousness
before him all our days.
76 And you, child, will be called the prophet of the Most High;
for you will go before the Lord to prepare his ways,
77 to give knowledge of salvation to his people
by the forgiveness of their sins.
78 By the tender mercy of our God,
the dawn from on high will break upon us,
79 to give light to those who sit in darkness and in the shadow of death,
to guide our feet into the way of peace.”
As a Christian i believe it is we who are all servants of Light who go before Him to prepare his ways. We must do the work of faith. Now, on Earth, according to our means, we are called in this lifetime to prepare his ways. The Christ has taught us, personally demonstrated, how we can prepare the way. And if sin is holding us back, we are redeemed. Redeemed? Like a coupon, i always think? From the Jesuits of Ireland a wonderful explanation:
God, "the Holy One of Israel" is their ‘redeemer’. The word in Hebrew originally refers to the nearest male relative who will avenge the blood of someone who has been murdered. He is also the one pays off a debt and frees the debtor from prison; his duty also is to protect the defenceless. Leviticus (25:47-55) also speaks of a situation where a person has to sell himself to a foreigner. He can be ‘redeemed’, that is, bought back by a brother, or uncle or cousin or any other relative. (The word ‘redeemer’ comes from the Latin redemptor, meaning ‘someone who buys back’.)
It then comes to refer to God as one who protects the oppressed and who liberates his people. The word is used frequently in this sense in Second Isaiah. The word then was applied to Jesus, who is the Redeemer and Liberator of us all. (http://livingspace.sacredspace.ie/)
And so we have been released, liberated, granted a new start, forgiven that i might choose to give light to those who sit in darkness, hold out a helping hand to those who sit in the shadow of death and that i might serve God without fear: do not be afraid! Fearless, now i can choose the way of peace and thus prepare the ways of the LORD on Earth, in my lifetime, now and every day.
Here i stand with a foot in each wobbly boat. What prevents me from choosing? Fear. My old enemy who keeps me in doubt, second-guessing, deep in my comfort-zone. Fear. That lie that is my Self, that vulnerable child scrambling after needs and running from aversions. But as God promised those who have faith in Him, we shall know his mercy, we shall be redeemed through forgiveness and we shall be saved from our enemies that we can serve without fear.
Dear God, please help me choose wisely to accept the boat that gives true life, and that once chosen i can progress with a fearless heart, in my own forgiveness and mercy to all upon my path, and thus preparing your ways so that all may know peace and joy in their lifetime.
Deo gratias.
