My dear brothers and sisters, I hope that your advent has begun on a good spiritual note given your many, many resolutions to try to do better when it comes to prayer, fasting and almsgiving as we mentioned in yesterday’s homily. In today’s Holy Mass, you will be hearing about God’s desire to be with his people, to restore their brokenness and that by his people he means men and women from all walks of life as he lovingly calls all to the heavenly banquet on the other side of eternity.
I think it is safe to say that most of us get this particular feeling when we walk into a Catholic Church, or at least we should, given that it is a place where God resides in a very special way and in particular within all the tabernacles of the world. I cannot help but think of my very own precious mother, who has kept this beautiful devotion, which I am imagining she inherited from her mother, that every time she drives by or walks by a Catholic Church, she salutes and says hello to Jesus who resides there within the tabernacle. Somehow she knows, as we all should, that the Lord God of hosts resides there… the One who loves and sustains our every breath, and so she takes the time to say a reverent word to him.
In today’s first reading, we are given by God the beautiful prophecy through Isaiah; “In days to come, the mountain of the LORD's house shall be established as the highest mountain and raised above the hills. All nations shall stream toward it; many peoples shall come and say: "Come, let us climb the LORD's mountain, to the house of the God of Jacob, That he may instruct us in his ways, and we may walk in his paths."
In the ancient east, many nations believed that their gods dwelt in temples and many of these were built on a mountain. The Lord’s house in Jesus’ times would have been the Holy Temple in Jerusalem, situated on Mount Zion. King’s were instructed as regards its construction and prophets, like Ezekiel had visions of God leaving and returning to “his house”. Our Lord himself reprimanded the money changers at the temple, by referring to it as his “Father’s house”. That Jesus would speak of God as his personal Father, was shocking to say the least to the ears of his persecutors. How dare this man call God his own Father! Who does he think he is? This was their sentiment, but what was even more elusive was how He, the Lord himself, was now the Holy of Holies, the New Living Temple in their midst and even though they would put him to death, he would rise. “Destroy this temple and in three days I will make it rise again.”
Jesus, as God, is greater than the temple. Where in the minds of the scribes and pharisees he was blaspheming, Jesus was merely stating the truth, but a truth so beyond their finite minds. It is easy for us to see this now, in retrospect, so many years after the fact, but what about when God wishes to speak to us and the so many things he tries to show us that are so above our heads because we simply have not taken the time to sit with him in prayer and give him a good hearing?
This advent, we have an opportunity to change all that. The days of monologues when it comes to our prayer should be a thing of our past. We need to spend enough time in prayer to sit and wait, and give the Lord a chance to speak. Imagine going for a coffee with someone and all they did was talk, talk, and talk even more! They’ll talk about everything and won’t let you get one word in. How does that feel? Not too good I imagine. Yet, how often do we do the very same thing to the Lord who loves us so very much?
In the gospel, Jesus is invited to act on behalf of the Centurion, whose servant is paralysed and in great distress at home. He asks Jesus to say but a word. On numerous occasions, my brothers and sisters, when God has given me the grace to do the same and allow him to speak a word, or to let him work in my or someone else’s life, he has done so very powerfully and clearly. I encourage you all therefore, this advent, to let him but say a word, and we will be given strength and grace to renew our faith, hope and love.
Through the intercession of our Blessed Mother, may Almighty God bless you this advent, in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
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