THE WORD IN ADVENT - Second Saturday
December 14, 2019: Remembering St.John of the Cross
Ecclesiasticus 48: 1-4,9-12; Matthew 17: 10-13
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| Read the Life of John of the Cross |
Today we are given to reflect on three great personalities... the first one as we reflected yesterday, is the person of the week John the Baptist, credited by Jesus as greatest of all who are born of a woman. The second one is Prophet Elijah of the Old Testament, who is considered to be the greatest of the prophets. The third is St. John of the Cross, considered to be the greatest mystic and doctor of the Soul! Why were all these people 'great'... not because they were in power or were the most influential of their times!
The simple reason was that they were fired with a burning love for God... Elijah shut the heavens, brought down fire, all because he wanted the people to see the glory of God! The Baptist remained a voice in the wilderness, warning everyone of their sins, ready even to die for the Reign of God. John of the Cross was a great reformer of the religious life and an ardent agent of counter reformation, standing by the Church during the tough times of Reformation, filled with the zeal for the Reign of God.
The reflection however is not about their greatness - that is by now indisputable. The question is: what do we do with these persons of greatness, what do we do with these revelations of the glory of God? In our daily experience, we see things and encounter people, that are grandiose revelations of God, provided we are ready and willing, prepared and capable of beholding those revelations. In fact this is one of my firm convictions: Miracles (and here revelations) abound for those who are prepared to see them around. We are prepared by the Word, but are we ready?
The Reign of God is near...if we wish to receive it, we have to be filled with that same fire! The fire, the zeal, the yearning, the thirst for the Reign of God, which should shine through every word, thought, deed and choice of everyday life. The Word invites us, Jesus, Elijah, John the Baptist and John of the Cross - they challenges us today, to Repent and be ready to behold the Lord!
The Reign of God is near...if we wish to receive it, we have to be filled with that same fire! The fire, the zeal, the yearning, the thirst for the Reign of God, which should shine through every word, thought, deed and choice of everyday life. The Word invites us, Jesus, Elijah, John the Baptist and John of the Cross - they challenges us today, to Repent and be ready to behold the Lord!