THE WORD IN ADVENT - December 18
Jeremiah 23: 5-8; Matthew 1: 18-24
Joseph was a righteous man. His rectitude consisted of an incomparable combination of the Justice of Yahweh, that we see in the first reading and God's predilective love for the poor and the weak, that is exalted in the Responsorial Psalm.
The Righteousness of God is an uncompromising stand for the truth, because of which Joseph thinks of divorcing Mary; it is also a unparalleled love for the poor and the weak, or in Pope Francis' words, love for those in the periphery - that is what makes Joseph search for ways to spare Mary the disgrace!
This prophetic righteousness causes a spiritual restlessness within Joseph, in which he is taught to see things from God's perspective. If he were a self centered, egotistic person he would have never learnt to see it that way, he would have done what he wanted and things would have been drastically different.
In all the things that are happening around us, do we feel that spiritual restlessness within us - so many people robbed of their dignity, humanity deprived of its peace and tranquility, persons denied their rights and due respect, communities oppressed and weak and feeble trampled under foot: does that in anyway make us spiritually restless - does the righteousness of God and predilection for the weak, in anyway impel us to take a stand?
The Lord comes to visit us on a daily basis in these experiences, as the Angel came to meet Joseph. We will miss it all, if we are filled with only ourselves, our ideas and our perspectives! Joseph inspires us towards the third key to the Kingdom - to feel the Spiritual Restlessness within!
No comments:
Post a Comment