THE WORD IN ADVENT
December 11, 2020: 2nd Friday in Advent
Isaiah 48: 17-19; Matthew 11:16-19
If only you were... we use this expression very often when communicating our disappointment over someone. Today the Lord uses it in relation to the people of Israel...if only you had listened to me, and proved a little more faithful! There is a spark of an inspiration from the first reading today, speaking of faithfulness to God being like waves! In fact the Gospel too takes off from there.
Waves ebb and flow, come and go, rise and fall, proceed and recede...but look at them at their origins - the deep sea. There they are calm like a sleeping giant. That is what faithfulness to God is all about. Though you may be involved in frenetic activity and never ending responsibilities, never lose that inner serenity where your being truly resides.
Jesus gives a beautiful allegory - like children who play, we live our lives with numerous expectations on the other and disappointments within. We expect and get disappointed; or we get anxious to meet the expectations of the other or others, and feel stressed out. Jesus is simply suggesting to us: can you just stop and ask yourself, what are you up to? What are you toiling for? What are you stressing yourself out for? What are you really trying to prove and to whom?
Jesus has this to tell us today: you have nothing to prove! You are what you are in the depth of your being. Discover that, realise that, and try to live that to the full. Do not get lost in the externals of show and appreciation or disappointments and critiques. You can do that only when you are able to find your depths. That is why the key to a truly 'happy' life, is finding your real depth and getting truly in touch with it.