Wednesday of the First Week of Advent
I love Advent! I look forward to the daily readings even more than usual, as they are so full of expectancy and pregnant with life and hope. I pray that each of us can press into the scriptures this month and reap the bounty that is set before us. Advent is obviously a time to anticipate the coming of Christ liturgically, and to celebrate his coming into the world as our Messiah and Lord. Each new Advent is also a time for each of us to anticipate our own unique Advent – the arrival of God into our lives, personally and intimately. An Advent is an interruption, it’s an in-breaking of the reign of God suddenly and profoundly. This month, can we each prepare ourselves for divine intrusions and be receptive to whatever God has for us to help us grow in holiness and to fall more and more in love with Jesus. Any Advent is miraculous; let us prepare for the miracles of God no matter how large or small.
Today’s reading from Isaiah describes the extravagant, abundant love of the God of the cosmos. Let the imagery of feasting penetrate your heart and your imagination. What does it mean to you, personally, that God would prepare a lavish banquet and invite you to be a guest of honor along with the rest of humanity? As the text continues, I see God removing barriers between us and God, destroying death, comforting us in our sorrow, and taking away our shame. Pretty much any human brokenness is summed up and restored in these redemptive verses!
In our Gospel text, we see Jesus healing the lame, the blind, the deformed, the mute, and many other ailments. Christ also foreshadows the Eucharistic banquet when he miraculously feeds the multitude with just a few loaves and fishes.
This Advent, our Lord desires to break into my life and yours in whatever way(s) we need and desire. I believe Christ also wishes to intrude: to nudge us out of complacency, to move us out of our comfort zones, to convict us of our need to repent, to surprise us by his grace. I encourage you to read both the Isaiah and Matthew passages out loud. As you read, focus on declaring the restorative and life-giving acts that God performs. You’ll find spiritual power in declaring the goodness of our God in faith, confident that God acts today just as he did in times of old. Consider what you need from the Lord and ask him in faith and expectancy. Invite Jesus to intrude in whatever way he wishes. I’m asking God to heal my spiritual blindness. I’m also asking God to help me to really know, deep in my knower, that when I come to the Eucharistic Table, I am participating in the most lavish of divine extravagance, the absolute fullness of Divine love. I want to know that love more and more and to love more like Jesus. Ask the One who desires to come to you in even more profoundly intimate ways for what you need and anticipate his Advent in your life.
- Elizabeth Wourms