“Then will the eyes of the blind be opened,
the ears of the deaf be cleared.”
Today’s Reading: Is 35:1-10
…Be strong, fear not!
Here is your God,
he comes with vindication;
With divine recompense
he comes to save you.Then will the eyes of the blind be opened,
the ears of the deaf be cleared;
Then will the lame leap like a stag,
then the tongue of the mute will sing….
Reflection: (This second Monday of Advent, 2020, we celebrate the Memorial Feast of St. Ambrose, who lived in the fourth century.)
Is Jesus God? One in being with the Father? Is the Christmas we are preparing to celebrate about a nice person who helped the world a lot, maybe even was sent by God; or is it about God himself, taking on flesh to dwell among us? St. Ambrose, an unlikely bishop, fought for the latter in a time of great dispute of “us against them,” perhaps the blue-versus-red of his time, but more deadly. As local governor, he came to the scene of a contested election to stop a fight from breaking out, and walked out as bishop, by acclamation. After going into hiding for a while, this governor finally accepted his call, was baptized, and went on to become a saint. He stood firmly defending the Church’s understanding of the divinity of Christ. That’s something to think about as we enter our second week of Advent. How can we renew our faith in Jesus Christ, fully God and fully human?
Let us pray: Jesus, give us the gift of faith this Advent. Help us to understand your divinity in the fullest way that we can. Help us to pray, deeply, about why you would become one of us. Enlighten our hearts.