Good News Reflection
Monday of the 3rd week of Advent
December 13, 2010
Available as a Good News Ministries Podcast:
http://gnm.org/DailyReflections/podcasts
Today's Saint: Lucy
Pray for teenagers and unmarried adults:
http://wordbytes.org/saints/DailyPrayers/Lucy.htm
Today's Readings:
Numbers 24:2-7, 15-17a
Ps 25:4-9
Matthew 21:23-27
http://www.usccb.org/nab/121310.shtml
USCCB Podcast of the Readings:
http://ccc.usccb.org/cccradio/NABPodcasts/10_12_13.mp3
The Gift of Joyous Living
The prophecy in today's first reading about the Messiah comes from a surprising source: Balaam, who was not a Hebrew prophet; he was a pagan sorcerer! But God empowered him to be a true prophet – albeit briefly – and he could do it for two reasons: (1) Balaam knew enough about God to fear and obey him, and (2) it served God's purposes in protecting his people.
What is troubling you this Advent? What "garden" in your life is wilted or barren? What has been blocked like a dammed river? In what situation does Jesus your king need to be raised up and exalted? In other words, what are your joy-robbers?
God is promising you that, through Jesus, you will flourish like a garden that's growing near a stream. Through Jesus, your holiness will become a free-flowing river. Why? Because Jesus is the rising star (referring to his victory over death and sin) and he is the staff (or scepter) of God, which means he is king over all and has the authority to get what he wants.
This authority was challenged by the chief priests and religious elders in today's Gospel reading. But no one can ever challenge Christ's authority and win.
Take a look at the historical setting in which the story in Numbers took place. It happened near the end of the Israelites' 40-year journey through the desert. Balaam had been hired by Balak, the king of the Moabites, to defeat the Israelites by sorcery (since Balak knew he couldn't defeat them with military weapons). So Balaam set out to put a curse on them, but every time he tried, God convinced him to pronounce a blessing instead.
Balaam then warned Balak that no matter what he might try to do to conquer the Israelites, he would lose; the Israelites would be victorious because of a great king who would come in the distant future (i.e., Jesus).
This can give us great encouragement today. No matter how we might feel defeated, no matter where it might seem like we're losing a battle, Jesus is our great king who is always victorious. This is the source of our joy!
Of course, we want Jesus to come and rescue us from our troubles right now, this very moment (and we're wondering why he didn't rescue us yesterday), but his timing is always perfect, beyond our understanding. Victory is won in stages, step by step.
As we wait, we can take courage and experience the joy of Christmas by telling our troubled hearts that no matter how much it seems like we're under attack, we are victors because we live in Jesus and he lives in us.
Give to Jesus your dried up gardens and your blocked rivers. Give him everything that isn't yet under his kingship.
Jesus has the authority to get what he wants. And what does he want? He wants you to be filled with joy! He wants you to live in the victory that he already gained for you on the cross. And he wants your smile to prove to others that his victory is real.
© 2010 by Terry A. Modica
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