The WORD in ADVENT - Second Saturday
December 10, 2022: Ecclesiasticus 48:17-19; Matthew 17: 10-13
News about violence everyday, cry of injustice and unfettered exploitation of the weak, persecutions in the name of religion and venomous maligning of persons and groups owing to the religious and moral values that they hold on to, the seeming victory of the evil forces - these are what we hear on a daily basis these days. And Jesus seems to tell us, "this is nothing new, since John the Baptist came upto this present time, the kingdom of Heaven has been subject to violence!" And the first reading adds hopefully, inspite of all these, "Do not be afraid, I shall help you."
The image that we are given today to ruminate, is that of a child holding the hand of the father or the mother, and braving the whole world around. Let us never forget that one quintessential truth of Christian faith: we are never alone! The Lord promises today: I, the God of Israel, shall never abandon you!
We are in fact preparing to celebrate precisely this truth; that God came to dwell with us. This is what incarnation is all about - God making that radical choice not only to be with us, but to be one among us and forever with us. And ever since, God has been with us; and God shall never abandon us. Let us celebrate that presence of God, not merely at special moments, but daily, and every moment of our lives - let us hold God's hands as we keep walking in our daily life.