A JOURNEY TO INTEGRITY - ADVENT 2017 - DAY 3

Integrity... Knowing the one who calls

First Tuesday of Advent

Is  11: 1-10; Lk 10: 21 -24

Integrity is the loincloth round his waist, faithfulness the belt about his hip. Integrity is a quality that is essential about God. And as God's children, we are called first and foremost to grow in our integrity. How will we grow in it, unless we really know that we are called to grow in it? Unless we know and unless we are convinced that the one who calls us is integral and calls us towards integrity, we cannot truly journey towards integrity. 

Integrity is the situation presented: the lion sleeping with the lamb, bear playing with a kid and all peaceful on the holy mount- we may say, it's like a child's dream! Precisely because of this Jesus makes that exclamation today: that the Father has revealed such things to mere children while the expert eyes are busy prying over the obvious.

The Child's capacity is underlined here by Christ and advocated as required traits for an integral person! Firstly,  it is to see! Having that freshness of perception which would allow the person to observe any simple sign that the Lord gives.  Secondly,  it is to accept! Sporting that openness of mind that would not rule out any thing as total impossibility,  because with God everything is possible and God continuously reveals. Thirdly, the humility with which one is able to heed the call of the Lord, as did the kings and the prophets who waited for the day of the Lord.

We are called by the God of Integrity, to be truly God's sons and daughters, that is to grow in our integrity.  Do we really know this God who calls us?

A JOURNEY TO INTEGRITY - ADVENT 2017 - DAY 2

Integrity... Heeding the Call

First Monday of Advent

Is 2: 1-5; Mt 8: 5-11

Come let us go up to the mountain of the Lord - that is the call that we have this Advent. To go up to the mountain of the Lord. Lord who can climb your mountain, who can dwell in your tent - those who walk blamelessly and do what is right, and speak the truth from their heart, says Psalm 15:2. 

This Advent we are going to make a journey, all along reflecting on this: the call to climb the mountain of the Lord, to be blameless, to do right and to speak the truth, not to slander and never to do evil - in short, to be integral. 

A first element in this is, recognising the call, the call that we have as children of God, the call that we have to grow more and more acceptable in the eyes of the Lord. Integrity is a call, the call to be like God, to grow into what we are, that is the image and likeness of God. 

When we realise the call we have and we have the humility to obey that call, that is what is called faith and miracles happen! A beautiful imagery that the Centurion speaks of today: the imagery of the servants who carry out the will of their master. That is what we are - servants of the Master of the Universe, humble children of the Father of all creation, the One who created us and calls us to be God's children, in our image, in our likeness, in our life and in our very beings. 

Let us accept this call and begin our journey, towards Integrity!