Celebrating the Reign - the Joy of Faith

THE WORD IN ADVENT - Third week Wednesday

December 20, 2023 - Isaiah 7: 10-14; Luke 1: 26-38

God-with-us, or Emmanuel, is the most profound of all promises and it evokes an experience intensely related to our spirits, because we long for an assuring presence in our life - all of us, even the most strong among us. It is a longing that is inherent to every human person, which can be very easily connected to our faith, if we believe that faith is first and foremost beholding a mighty presence that reveals itself to us. That is why, the joy of the Reign is a joy of faith, the joy of receiving, beholding and enjoying the gift of faith, the gift of beholding the presence of God with us. 

The joy of faith consists in our capacity to listen to God, a God who speaks, promises, instructs and interprets the ordinary events of our life, on a daily basis.

The joy of faith consists in our ability to see the Lord present beside us in the most difficult of times, in moments of possible delusion and and surrender to the presence, trusting in the goodness of the One who is the Lord of the Universe.

The joy of faith consists in our readiness to see the hand of God at work, even at the darkest moments of our lives, to feel always overshadowed by the power of the One who is in control of everything. 

That faith is the Key, as the antiphon of the day reminds us - the Key of David who opens the gates of the eternal Reign, the Key that open what no one can close, and closes what no one can open - the power of the hand of God that is at work in history. Faith permits me to see that hand, behold that hand and hold on to that hand, in trust and in love. 

Faith fills me with joy - with faith, we can rejoice even when we run into problem and trials, for we know that they help us develop endurance; endurance develops strength of character, character strengthens our confident hope of salvation and this hope shall never lead us to disappointment. Fill us Lord, with the joy of faith today!