What wonders the Lord allows. Life seemed over and all action ended. A heart made new gives hope beyond all dreaming. New vision comes with a host of promises yet to be fulfilled. How precious now is each remaining dawn with graces newly offered and a call to become the person we so often pictured in visions (however transient!) of what could be. Advent offers to all a heart made new. "Create in me a clean heart, O God, and give to me a noble mind!"
As we prepare for the deep reality of Christmas we feel a call to stillness. We realise the need to listen. How seldom we do! We listen now with ears, with intellect and with heart. We listen to Scripture, to conscience, and to the pain-filled cry of those who, amid the glut of plenty, are yet poor. "Those who have ears to hear . . . Whatever you did for the least of these, my people, you always did for Me!" The Advent call insists: "Let the wilderness and the dry barren land exult. . .let the wasteland of all broken promises now at last rejoice and bloom. . .let it bring forth flowers. . .let it rejoice and sing for joy. . ."
We know the difference between the well-kept fertile gardens and neglected scrub land, desolate and sad. With Gerard Manley Hopkins we pray, "Lord, send my roots rain!"
We grow weary. We tend to lose all heart. We can be creatures of transient enthusiasms and of short-lived hope. St James awakens us to fresh resolve. He asks us to open wide our weary eyes. "Awaken! Look at the farmers! How patiently they await the precious crops from the ground until at last come the autumn rains and those of springtime too. You too must be patient. The Coming of the Lord will be soon indeed."
Could the mighty John the Baptist have moments of doubt? Was it really possible that Jesus, his own kinsman could be the longed-for Redeemer? Are you the one who is to come? Or must we still await another?" What about our faith in these listening days of sincere amendment and of trust? We listen again to the grace-filled words of the Redeemer: "You hear! You see! Go back and tell this to John. The blind see. The lame walk. Lepers are made clean and those once deaf now hear. The dead are raised to life and [most wonderful of all] the Good News is proclaimed to the Poor." Jesus gave to the faithful precursor praise and affirmation that echoes down the years. Were John's doubts caused by the Master sharing meals with people so like us? Our Scripture and our prayer link our listening Advent to apocalypse, to judgment and to our final hour. With Dietrich Bonhoeffer we reflect: "In my end is my beginning."
Christmas utters hope-filled challenge: " Awake! Arise! Cast off! Listen!" Amid waste and wilderness a saving voice now sounds. All crooked paths will be made straight and all rough places plain. In the desert of our days a voice is calling. The December air is vibrant with hope made new. Come, Lord Jesus!
"God of endless ages, Father of all goodness.
We keep vigil for the dawn of salvation and the birth of your Son. With gratitude we reflect on his becoming one of us - the life he shared with us.
May his saving power help us to answer his call to forgiveness and to life.
We make our prayer through Christ Our Lord. Amen."
F. Mac N.