Link to the DEACON5 website: https://deacon5.com/
The Gospel according to Luke (10:21-24)
Jesus rejoiced in the Holy Spirit and said,
“I give you praise, Father, Lord of heaven and earth,
for although you have hidden these things
from the wise and the learned
you have revealed them to the childlike.
Yes, Father, such has been your gracious will.
All things have been handed over to me by my Father.
No one knows who the Son is except the Father,
and who the Father is except the Son
and anyone to whom the Son wishes to reveal him.”
Turning to the disciples in private he said,
“Blessed are the eyes that see what you see.
For I say to you,
many prophets and kings desired to see what you see,
but did not see it,
and to hear what you hear, but did not hear it.”
Reflection:
Today, as we are near the start of the season of Advent, we also remember St Francis Xavier, Priest. St Francis was a contemporary and associate of St Ignatius of Loyola, the founder of the Jesuits, and had a powerful heart for spreading the Gospel, especially in Asia. May we also see our mission as I like to say, “to live the Gospel with our lives.”
Turning to today’s Gospel, I thought I would start by saying that, at various times in my life, I have thought of myself as a pretty smart person. I was blessed to be in a gifted students program when I was in elementary school, and usually have viewed myself that way. I mean, it’s good to have a healthy self-view, right? But, the truth is as time goes on (especially in the last several years or so), I realize that I really don’t know nearly as much as I thought I did. Anyone else have that feeling?
That thought came to me as I pondered today’s Gospel, where Jesus points out that the knowledge of the Kingdom of God has been revealed to us, and not to those who are “wise and learned”. I think it’s a not-to-subtle dig at the Pharisees and scholars of the Law of that time, who were “wise and learned” in the Law, but not in the love of the God for whom the Law was given. There are a few exceptions (including the scholar of the Law in the portion right after today’s passage in Luke chapter 10), but not many.
The lesson is clear – we can’t see ourselves as somehow better, more deserving of God’s blessings, just because we profess ourselves to be Christians. It is all a gift! And, nothing we did can cause us to deserve these blessings, and nothing we can ever do can make us in any way entitled to them. If we see each day as a gift, and the blessings that come as the “cherry on top”, then we will be forming the right attitude to prepare our hearts for Jesus, which is what we do during this blessed season of Advent.
May we take time today, as well as every day during this season, and ask God to touch our hearts, that we know how blessed and gifted we really are. Not because we deserve it, but because He loves us so much.
Action for the Day:
As I suggested just a moment ago, take time today (and, in fact, every day during this Advent) and ask our loving Lord to touch your heart, that you know how gifted and blessed you are, and that He give you the ability to go and share those blessings and gifts with others by the kind actions you perform to those whom God places in your presence today and every day.
Link to the DEACON5 website: https://deacon5.com/
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Thank you, Dn. Chuck… a wonderful reflection to begin the day. It is a needed reminder of the great gift of our faith and the undeserved love He freely gives us.