Good News Reflection
FOR NEXT SUNDAY: December 5, 2010
Second Sunday of Advent
Available as a Good News Ministries Podcast:
http://gnm.org/DailyReflections/podcasts
Parish bulletins, faith-sharing groups, RCIA:
For professionally published, printable copies of this reflection,
please go to Catholic Digital Resources:
http://catholicdr.com/calendar/December/Advent2.htm - Preview a sample
Next Sunday's Readings:
Isaiah 11:1-10
Ps 72:1-2, 7-8, 12-13, 17
Rom 15:4-9
Matt 3:1-12
http://www.usccb.org/nab/120510.shtml
USCCB Podcast of the Readings:
http://ccc.usccb.org/cccradio/NABPodcasts/10_12_05.mp3
Peace is the theme of the Second Sunday of Advent. The first reading describes Christ, the Messiah who came from the line of Jesse, King David's father. It also describes how to obtain peace – a peace that sustains us even in the midst of troubles. It's the very nature of Jesus himself: "The Spirit of the Lord shall rest upon him"; can you feel the Holy Spirit "resting" on you? It's the very nature of Jesus himself: "The Spirit of the Lord shall rest upon him"; have you felt the Holy Spirit "resting" on you lately?
We experience true peace when we're in a restful relationship with God, i.e., when we're not struggling against him and his ways and his plans for us. Peace does not depend on bringing to an end the struggles we have with people or the problems we have with financial shortages or addictions or health, etc. We can work hard to accomplish peace in any trial, win the war, and still not be at peace.
Peace comes to us in the wisdom and understanding that we get from the Holy Spirit. Peace comes from following the Spirit's counsel and relying upon God's strength. Peace comes from gaining knowledge of the truth that God wants us to know, in total submission to his authority, obediently acting upon the truth.
In the Gospel reading, John the Baptist reminds us to "prepare the way of the Lord and make straight his paths." To receive the Spirit of God and his peace, we must prepare ourselves to meet Jesus in the Mass and in all the other ways that he wants to come to us. How? By identifying and repenting of our sins, thus straightening our crooked paths. We must get rid of obstacles that block our view of Jesus. We must stop following the moods and fascinations that lead us into twisted circles that get us nowhere in our quest for peace.
Whatever separates us from God's peace, we must get rid of it. To do this, we have the Sacrament of Reconciliation and (when we've committed only small, venial sins) the Penitential Rite at the beginning of Mass. Christ equips us for the journey into true peace!
Questions for Personal Reflection:
What turmoil is going on in your life? What has stolen your peace? The only control you have over the problems that disturb you is how you let them affect you. Where is Jesus? What obstacles (e.g., unforgiveness or resentment) do you need to repent of to see him and feel his peace?
Questions for Community Faith Sharing:
What methods do you use to settle down and rest in the Spirit of Jesus when turmoil is spinning around you? What kind of prayer helps? Do you go on retreat or confide in a spiritual director? What are some other ideas?
© 2010 by Terry A. Modica
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