Living in Faith – Looking ahead with heads held high!

Advent 2024: A Pilgrimage of Hope towards Peace with Joy, in Faith – the Fulfillment of the Journey!

Fourth Monday in Advent - December 23, 2024

Malachi 3: 1-4, 23-24; Luke 1: 57-66

Living in Faith – amidst all the cry for war and bloodshed, amid all the threat of the post human world on the horizon, amid the hue and cry of the so-called progressivists to relativise everything in the name of personal rights and human autonomy, living in faith would mean living a life that is frightening. That is what is presented in the Word today.

The theme of the end of days, or the Lord’s day, sometimes can be a fiction-friendly leitmotif with all its elements of suspense and secrets. But it cannot be so for a person of faith. That is what St. Paul advised his people when he wrote, “but you, brothers and sisters, you are not in darkness so that this day should surprise you like a thief.” (1 Thess  5:4) This is so because the Lord has sent us enough messengers and messages, to understand, analyse and come to make our informed choices about everything. We cannot blame anyone for our choices, nor can we feign ignorance about the purpose of our beings, if we are truly persons, children, or people of faith.

When the people saw what was happening with regard to John, the new child born in the neighbourhood, they experienced fear… for us, that should not be, because we are girded with faith. Where there is faith, there is not place for fear, for fear is a by-product of darkness. We are people of the Light, and darkness cannot overcome us, because Emmanuel, God with us, is here, very close to us. And that shall enable us, empower us to walk with our heads held high! Looking up to the Lord with faith, we can face any situation with courage and confidence, with hope, peace and joy – that is what it means to live in faith.