Integrity... to remain, to receive and to rejoice!
Third Tuesday in Advent
Judg 13: 2-7, 24-25; Lk 1: 5-25
Call it endurance, call it perseverance, call it faithfulness, it is just remaining firm in the Lord, believing strong in the core of our beings that the Lord is with us, for us and in us! Look at the two women in the Word today, called barren by the world of their times... they remained with the Lord. It is said, they lived their life totally acceptable to the Lord, but they were barren! The world despised them, but they never gave up on God.
Today, anything, any small thing can take a person far from God - be it good or bad! Yes, a problem, a struggle, a disappointment, a disagreement, a difficulty, a mental or emotional stress...anything can take a person away from God. We have thousands and thousands who react that way and what are they actually doing: closing the door of hope! The Psalm says, It is you O Lord who are my hope, my trust since my youth!
Worse still, even something good can take one away from God - a bit of success, an affluence that comes one's way, a social status that appears promising, a public image that seems a little lucrative, can easily drift me away from God and real recognition of God.
The couples in the Word today - had their difficulties, their despicable status in the society calling them "unfortunate" ...but never drifted away from God, never gave up on God. They remained!
They remained faithful and they received that blessing that was in store for them, the hope that was in the Divine plan, the entire story that still had to unfold! At times, even after receiving we miss the entire presence of God - either lamenting that it was late or taking the entire credit on ourselves, our hardwork and our own dexterity.
They received and they rejoiced in the Lord! Integrity is to remain, to receive and to rejoice in the Lord! My dear son, my daughter, the Lord says today, there are things that are in store in God's own time, remain in me, receive the blessings I have in store for you and rejoice in me, for it is I who have loved you into existence and I have you in the apple of my eye!